Colliding Worlds
by SoulChangers
Summary: With so many seishi traveling between worlds throughout the story, and Tamahome's permanent residence in the miko's world, several dimensional rifts have occurred. What happens when two lucky girls get pulled in? Of course, they aren't the only ones...
1. Chapter 1

(Title is possible to have a few changes in the future)

Ossu, minna.... it's Aya here.

Alright, so this is something that jus' spontaneously began... We really had no clue as to what we were doing.... but we got somewhere with it

Anyways, this is co-writted between two crazed college students who are obsessed with Chiri and Tasuki.

So read, enjor, laugh, cry... poke fun at it, and then tell us all about it in a nicely written review. But please, no flamers... we'll jus' have to hunt you down and hurt you.. real bad.

Disclaimer: Oh, ya, an' jus' to let ya know, as much as their bodies' belong to us, we really don' own the boys. Or anyone else in Fushigi Yuugi. They are there for Watase Yuu to mold an' torture. We can only own ourselves.

* * *

Who could have guessed that one of the very rare moments when the two crazed fan girls were not thinking of being whisked away from their cruel reality, it had happened. 

Nothing flashed at them, and nothing warned them of the sudden transition.

Aya, a girl of nineteen with brown hair nearing her waist and plain dark brown eyes among a pale complex, had just stepped off her second bus, slinging one of her duffel bags higher up onto her shoulder where it rubbed her skin raw. Several students on the campus gave the small five foot girl strange looks as she leaned on one side, struggling with her heavy bags.

It was the start of a long weekend, when they would be going up to Philadelphia for their first true Fencing tournament. After all, the one they had at their University was a bit… empty. The Temple Open, which they were headed to that afternoon, would be several times larger.

"Damn…. " Huff "Heavy" Huff "Equipment." Aya growled in a low voice, glaring at the sidewalk ahead that lead towards the O'Dome where they would be leaving from. She wobbled a bit, cursing herself for always packing too much, and regained her balance.

It was at the moment when the large white domed structure came into view that her sight faltered. She blamed it on the sun beating down on her on the rather warm day, as well as the fact that she wore her gray sweater. She could never know when there would suddenly be a cold breeze.

The moment she tripped on an upturned root, she knew something had gone wrong. The main cause wasn't that the large chunk of tree stuck out, ready to snag the first foot that approached it, but the fact that she had suddenly lost sight of the dome among a thick layer of trees. Being clumsy, she went down without another thought.

"Fuck!" She managed to croak before her face hit dirt. When did she wander off the sidewalk? She pushed herself up after tugging off the bags, wiping her face clear of dried leaves.

Her first instinct was to look around and make sure not too many people saw her embarrassment. Fortunately, or unfortunately, she was no where near the vicinity of a human soul.

"What the--"

Cat, on the other hand, was packed light with her backpack stuffed with the clothes she would need and a smaller bag for her main needs. She locked her dorm room and pushed out of the building, checking her cell phone to make sure that she WAS actually five minutes late. Yes, five-past-six. She decided not to pick up her pace and instead walk steadily towards the O'Dome, ready for the long bus trip ahead.

This University student still had a week more to go until she reached nineteen. She stood at five-three, tan-skinned and 'black' (actually dark brown but according to everyone it was black) wavy hair pulled back in a messy pony tail. She wore comfortable clothes, the same as her fellow Fencers that were making their way to the same place. She quickly turned a corner, expecting to see the bus from afar—

And walked straight into a tree.

She pulled back, staring at the sudden pine that stood in her way. Standing there for a few moments to collect her thoughts, she looked around it. Another tree. And on the other side: another tree.

"Um…. Where's the O'Dome?"

"Shit!" The sound came off to her side, and she nearly jumped out of her skin. From among a random bush planted between two more pines, came a rumpled mass of brown hair and cursing short girl.

"Aya?" She squeaked, looking at the mess.

The girl pulled the hair away from her face and blinked at the source of her name. "Cat? What the hell?" She tried to compose herself, knowing that she looked as if she went head-first through a dense forest… which she had, and stood straight. "You have a clue where we are?"

"Ah…. No."

There was a long moment of silence as they stared at each other, then at their surroundings, then at the ground… their bags, each other, and everywhere else before it clicked.

"You don' think…?" Cat asked with wide eyes.

Aya paused, biting her lips. "Although having aimlessly walked into some woods while we weren't paying attention would be a better explanation… I'd still take the other thought. But, it wouldn't be possible. Too good to be true, you know." She looked up at the sky, towards a sun that looked the same.

"Yah, you're right. Not possible." Cat hesitated, than pointed towards her left. "Let's try that way. I bet we'll find something familiar there. We must have walked into one of those nice little nature trails around campus."

"Of course, that's it." So the search started then.

The two girls walked side-by-side, making sure they kept to the path.

"Is this even a path?" Aya asked sarcastically, leaning forward from the weight of her bags.

"I guess so." Cat replied, trying to concentrate on not tripping over another large set of roots.

Aya sighed heavily, glancing around once again. "I have a strange feeling that we're not anywhere near campus anymore. You know, this kind of reminds me of…"

"Reality, Aya. Reality. As much as _I'd_ like to believe we have been suddenly transported into another dimension, I still want to stay away from any mental institutes. Hey, is that something there?"

They stopped, glancing through a thin set of bushes. The soft sounds of laughter were heard and they both breathed a sigh of relief.

"Well, seems like we could ask those boys where we are." Aya smiled, then quickly winced. "Jeremy and the others are going to _kill _us for being so late!"

"Don't count on it. I bet you they left us already. I can just picture it now... Amy and Heather calling our cell phones and being extremely annoyed... Bruce saying 'I knew they'd turn out to be unreliable'..." Cat was about to slip through the bushes to catch the incoming guys' attention, when she was suddenly yanked back. "Wh--" A hand clamped her mouth and she stared at her friend's still face. Her eyes followed her gaze.

They both bit their tongues when the men came closer. They wore clothes of some Asian country, leggings and pants with thick hide boots tied half-way up their calves. Some had a tunic over a white shirt, others simply wore a loose shirt, all sporting jewels and stones that neither girl could name around their necks and adorning their faces. Most held some form of weapon, sharp pointed things that could seriously cause some damage. They had one horse among them, which was used to carry the most cleaned-cut of the men. Obviously the man had a higher position than the unshaven group treading along the ground.

"Oi, I think I 'eard somethin' jes' ova there."

Aya and Cat visibly winced. From the looks of it and from their knowledge, this would not be good.

"Jes' prob'ly some critter. Don' say stupid things, Jyorun." Another man smacked the first that spoke across the head with his staff. "Now shaddup."

Aya motioned to Cat to duck lower, trying to hide their obviously foreign selves from the men. Encountering men dressed like that in this kind of setting only meant trouble. They squatted as quiet as possible, barely breathing as they listened to the men pass.

As soon as they were out of sight and their footsteps faded away, they let out the breath they had been holding.

"Oh, fuck, thi-this is actually.." Aya was panting, looking around as if some mad animal had bit her. Her lips barely twitched upwards to the start of a grin.

"N-no, maybe they were late Halloween people, o-or, maybe… Maybe… " Cat tried to make something up. To hell with it. "Maybe we actually _are_ in Konan." Her eyes lit up.

"Wha' 'bout Konan, little lady?" A rough voice said from behind the two. They both screeched when a rough hand joined with their shoulders. "Well, well… Jyorun was right for once. Oi! Men! We got ourselves tonight's entertainment!"

"E-entertainment!?" Cat screamed out, face going pale.

"That's what ya get for strolling 'round a bandit's property." The man grinned, his teeth stained a dark yellow with one or two missing. Aya's face twisted at the look, her nose scrunching up in disgust.

"Reikaku bandits?" Aya managed to squeeze out through her rising fear. If it had been so, she knew the foreboding feeling wouldn't have come up.

The man grinned down at her, grabbing both their arms roughly to drag them back to his group. "Kaou, though we're gonna beat down the Reikaku bandits by 'morrow, so ya can say we'll be runnin' this mountain from now on."

With that said, Aya planted her feet on the ground, glaring hard. Kaou bandits? Planning to sneak an attack on the Reikaku? Not while she's alive. "Let go, you asshole! Let us go!" She tried to wrench her arm free, but the man just let out a deep laugh and tossed her towards a lanky man of the group.

"Have your way with her! But careful, she might bite!" He tossed Cat towards another guy, who let out a cry and tried to struggle. The man that took them quickly left and returned with their bags, staring strangely at them.

"No! Last thing I want is to fucking get raped by bastards like you! Let go!" Not that she would want to be raped by anyone. Aya kicked at one of the bandits that tried to hold her down, earning herself a large sum of points for getting him in the groin. She had little time to mentally crow. Breaking free she tackled the first guy closest to Cat, trying to drag her up on the way. Startled, the men took a bit of time to compose themselves, and heal possibly, or perhaps they were just being entertained.

The girls stumbled, jumped up, and were caught again before they could start running.

"Aya!" Cat shouted as her friend was pulled back and slapped to the ground. The shock kept the shorter girl there.

Less than a second later, Aya blinked and shouted "Go!" all too late. Cat was tossed next while the men circled around them to make sure they wouldn't leave.

"Men, can' ya keep two girls down long 'nough?" The bandit that captured them called out.

"S-sorry!" The man Aya had kicked said. She recognized him as Jyorun, and he looked like the youngest of the lot of some fifteen odd men.

"Jus' get 'em broken in already! Next town we'll sell 'em off to some slave traders I know. They got some interestin' things 'ere, too," He said, riffling through Cat's backpack.

"Don't touch that with your dirty hands you pervert!!!" Cat screamed in outrage as the man lifted a pair of her panties up for closer inspection.

"Hm.. wonderin' what kind ya wearin' now." He grinned wickedly as the rest of his men gave out loud roaring laughs.

"Next time ya go poaching on my lands, ya might want ta be a lot quieter, Shorei," A deep growl resounded through the small clearing the Kaou bandits decided to reside in.

Both Aya and Cat froze in their struggles (not that they had given up even as two men tried to hold them down while the others circled and placed bets).

Aya's eyes darted around, trying to catch the voice's owner, but she had no luck. Fortunately, the men quickly stood up and left them to get their weapons, ready to fight. With their attention drawn away, the two girls wasted no time in climbing to their feet and darting away.

"Whoa there, girls!" A strong pair of arms came around their waists as they leapt away from the circle of Kaou bandits. They were pulled up roughly against another tall man.

_Arg! Not _again!!! Aya's mind screamed.

Sensing both of them stiffen, the man laughed close to their ears. "Don' worry, we might not be royal guards, but we're 'ere th' good guys. Now don' go runnin' off 'way or ya both will get lost." He let them go and turned away, only to enter into the start of a small battle.

"Cat… was that just Kouji?" Aya whispered to her friend when the two turned around and saw the back of the man.

"I couldn't care less!" She was visibly shaken. "I knew one minute in this place and we would be rape victims like nothing. It's like that one moment after the next…!" She sniffed, but was already calming herself down. They peaked around a tree, following orders to stay put.

The sight that greeted them definitely made them feel better. At least Aya. Red flaming hair, an all too familiar black jacket, all part of a tall fanged tan man…. Oh yes, this had been the best dream yet. She would pinch herself if only she wasn't afraid she'd wake up.

"Hey, I think it was worth it to be saved by _him_," Aya tried to grin, but it only came out as a sarcastic smirk. Then again, that experience she just had… she wouldn't want a repeat of it. Cat's glare told her she felt the same way.

Cat then returned her gaze to the fight which was in progress; she tried to make sure that it was in fact Aya's dream man. "Tasuki..." She whispered softly as her mouth dropped open slightly. Could it really be him? After all the long nights of staying up past 2 am moaning about their lack of men... could it be that they were in fact in Konan, near one of the sexiest men known to them. "But where's Chichiri?" _...Great, like always...I'm left out_

The fight was over faster than either side expected.

"I thought ya were smart 'nough ta bring more boys, Shorei." Genrou sheathed his tessen back in place on his back, staring down at the defeated man beneath him. "Next time ya feel like romping through my mountain, I'll kill you," he said in his more serious tone, eyes narrowed. The Reikaku bandits then picked up the bags they found of Kaou's loot, including the girls' stuff, and then led the horse that had carried the defeated bandit.

"Oi, ladies, is any of this stuff yours?" Kouji asked as he approached them while the other men went through the sacs the horse had packed. The scarred man held up their bags along with a pack some other bandit must have had.

"Um… those…" Cat pointed to their bags, although her eyes were focused only on the bandit in front of her.

Said bandit gave her a raised eyebrow. Cat's eyes had gone wide, and went unblinking, while her mouth hung limply open. Aya, on the other hand, looked like she found her way into heaven. She was staring away from him, and he guessed it had to be someone coming up behind him.

"Kouji, looks like this is their big raid. Don' think we gotta worry 'bout 'em for awhile. What'd we save this time?" Genrou asked as he came up to the small group of other-worldly girls and his best friend. His amber eyes caught sight of Aya's first, who stood there staring up at him with the biggest grin of life.

"Two girls, it seems. Gotta say, they remind me 'bit of that Suzaku no Miko of ours." Kouji placed the bags on the ground beside the two of them and backed up slowly beside his friend, leaning closer to whisper, "But definitely 'lot weirder."

Cat finally noticed her fish expression and snapped her mouth closed. She then proceeded to pinch herself, realizing that only helped in creating a red bruise. "Are you… real?" She asked timidly, taking a glance at her friend to make sure she had not been the only one dreaming. Aya definitely saw them, too.

"Ya lucky we are, 'cause Kaou bandits are always up ta no good." Genrou narrowed his eyes at the shorter of the two girls that stayed silent. "Is she alright? You are aren't hurt, are ya?"

Aya, slowly recovering, nodded.

"Good. I think there's a village an hour walk from 'ere. We'll drop ya off." Genrou swung a bag over his shoulder and began to walk past them.

"Wait!" Aya, by instinct, snagged a good portion of Genrou's jacket.

With luck, the man stumbled and found himself face-first into the ground. "What the fuck was that for, bitch!?" He screamed the instant he recovered and lifted his face to breathe.

Aya blanched. _Great going. How about staying on his good side?_ "Uh… don't sell us to slave traders, asshole!" It was the first thing that came to her mind. What else was she suppose to say to the man she was absolutely infatuated with back in their reality?

"Who said 'nything 'bout slave traders? We're gonna drop ya off, an' leave ya there." Genrou picked himself up and recovered his bag. He then got a good look of the two girls. "Where _are _ya from, 'nyways."

"Fl--" Cat began.

"Kou! Kou village. You know, just around the corner… Nice little place." Aya tried her best to fake a chuckle, which instead turned into a girlish squeal.

Genrou's eyes narrowed in suspicion. "Don' think I've seen ya 'fore."

_Shit._ Aya smiled innocently and gave a try at another lie. "How 'bout I say we just moved there?"

"Don' think they're from 'round 'ere." Kouji said from off the side, picking up Cat's half-open backpack. He pulled out the Precalc book, flipping open the green cover and letting a few stray papers fall to the ground. "What kinda foreign writing is this?"

"It's English," Cat helpfully provided.

"Cat!" Aya whined in protest, looking nervously between the bandits that had circled around them, but mostly at the red-haired leader with his eyes resting on hers.

Cat wrung her hands nervously. "So, please don't kill us. We just lost our way on campus. We have to meet the Fencing club to catch the bus, so if you could point us in the right direction, we won't bother you anymore."

"Caaat!" Aya whined more. The right direction meant away from her dream man standing a few feet from her.

"Sorry!" Cat returned, flinching as if she had done something wrong. "Its just that it's wrong to lie to them! We don't know where we are, where to go, what to do…"

Genrou and Kouji, along with the rest of their group, stared in confusion. The information was too much to process. Cat trailed off after a moment, lowering her head in defeat.

"You see! You can't leave us on our own. Come on, take us with you. We can trust you, right?" Aya begged, trying to nudge Cat into helping.

"Uh…. Yah! See, we are defenseless, and weak women. We'll get assaulted the moment we're alone again." The black-haired girl told them.

"What are these?" Kouji asked, tapping the blade of a saber protruding out from one of Aya's bags.

The girl stared at it for a long time, obviously thinking of an excuse, or cursing the blade that gave the men a chance to toss them away.

"They're weapons for a sport, but they won't help much in real situations!" Cat provided.

Genrou ignored that last remark and began to head away from them. "Good enough until you find your way back home." He turned his head in the direction of his men. "Head back! Kouji an' I will take the girls." They obeyed without another thought. The problem wasn't theirs and they looked forward to sorting through the loot and the booze.

"But we don't know how to get home!" Cat protested. "You can't just abandon two girls from another world, Tasuki!"

Aya flinched and watched the bandit leader stiffen. Kouji stared from behind, minding his own.

Genrou turned to face them once again. "How'd ya know that name?" His voice sounded threatening.

A pause.

"_Everyone_ knows the great Tasuki!" Aya grinned, but it did not reach her eyes. Instead she was hoping he'd be kind enough to keep them hostage in their stronghold and force answers out. _At least that'll keep us together._

Genrou's eyes narrowed even more.

Cat leaned into her friend. "I don't think that helped." She then clapped her hands together and looked to the bandit leader, face bright with an idea. "We'll clean! And cook! We're not asking for free board… Just tell us what to do. We'll do it until we find a way back home."

The two men looked to each other and appeared to be considering it.

"Well… If they're here, something must be up. Maybe ya friend will know." Kouji backed up the two girls. "An' it's not like the place wouldn' need some cleaning."

"We're bandits," Genrou said bluntly.

"We won't be a bother, promise!" Aya added.

They stood there, waiting for the leader's answer. Finally, his shoulders slumped.

_Banzai!!!_ Aya tried to hide her ecstatic look, but Genrou caught it. A look of terror passing by his eyes gave that away.

"Let's go," He turned and went the same way his men had gone moments before.

It did not take the small group long to get back to the stronghold. Two guards were already posted by the entrance, and their eyebrows rose up when they saw the two girls returning with their leaders.

Aya took in everything that she passed. The oak wood doors they used to enter the stronghold, the empty, bleak hallway, the musky smell of men… who hadn't bathed in a week. They passed several open windows leading to the courtyard and then came into a large mess hall that had two long tables set up for the men's meals. And two smaller round ones towards one corner for other occasions.

At the moment, Aya was in paradise. However, when the sight of a blue-haired man came into view as they entered the dining area, seated at one of the round tables in the corner, Cat joined her.

The older seishi was sipping at his tea, looking over a scroll that was laid out on the table. He was alone in the whole room, and there was a peaceful silence that settled around him. He still wore his tradition kesa, with a loose white shirt and his leggings. His kasa sat on a chair next to him. And his back was turned to them.

"Oi, Chichiri," Genrou called out. As they passed the large arched doors into the room, their footsteps echoed loudly.

_So much for the peaceful atmosphere._ Aya thought mentally, frowning at the loud echoes.

Chichiri lifted his head in acknowledgement. "Was everything alright, Tasuki?" His eyes was scanning through the last paragraph before he turned their way. "There wasn't an—DAA?" He caught sight of the two strange girls.

"We got ourselves some company," The bandit leader-turned seishi grumbled. Tasuki set his glare on the two girls, then glanced back at his fellow seishi. "An' if ya haven't figured it out already, we've got a bit more on our hands once 'gain."

"I-I…. have not heard a thing from Taitsukun, no da." Chichiri's face didn't leave the two strange girls. Maybe because they were making a spectacle of themselves.

Aya was just about bouncing off the walls. She held a large toothy grin, her gaze shifting from him to the other Suzaku seishi, to her friend, to the walls, to the tables, to the floor, to the… all around and back again. But a good portion of the time it rested on two of the three men present. Cat, on the other hand, looked flustered and let out a squeak past her closed mouth. She had made sure to keep it from hanging open. Her eyes stared right back at the monk, disbelieving. She shifted nervously from foot to foot, as if trying to figure out what to do.

"Kouji, why don'cha show 'em my room? It's the largest there is an' they can stay there for awhile." Tasuki did not look back to his friend. Instead, he caught the eyes of Chichiri, something passing between the two of them.

"Alright," the blue-haired bandit replied, picking up the bags again and calling the two girls to leave. They left after a minute, reluctantly.

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That's the first chapter... As far as how fast the rest come along depends on the reviews... and the time we have. With finals this week as well as many failing grades to raise up, that might be a bit. Who knows, if someone nice enough reviews it might allow us to set some time aside. 


	2. Chapter 2

Aya: I know you're out there... those people, glancing at our fanfic... c'mon, click the review button... it saves our sanity, and encourages us to write. Or at least it'd save you from permanent damage by me...

Cat: Don't be so mean Aya!

Hi everyone, I hope you're all enjoying our little fic so far. I'm Cat the second writer and the much less aggressive of the two. I put lots of love into this, as I'm sure Aya did, and we would really appreciate some reviews! Even if its just one word, it'll make us really happy to know that people are actually looking at our fic. So come on and be a pal!

Well let's get the disclaimer in here before two college students get sued!

Disclaimer: Watase Yuu owns Fushigi Yuugi along with all of its wonderful characters! ::hugs her Chiri kun::

Oh and we don't own anything related to UF either... we just go there... GO GATORS! XD

But Aya and myself do own our characters and all the other stuff we come up with!

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**Chapter 2**

As soon as the two newcomers to Konan were out of earshot, Tasuki heaved a great big sigh and collapsed in a chair across from Chichiri. He rested his head on the wooden table and sat there, relaxing his tense muscles he had endured throughout the entire trip. For some strange reason, he felt he couldn't let his guard down for a minute.

"Are you alright, na no da?" Chichiri asked him, taking another cup that was available on the table and filling it with the tea he had for himself, pushing it in his friend's direction.

Tasuki took it with a muttered thanks. He took a moment to compose himself, breathing evenly and alternating in taking a sip of tea. He then set the cup down and placed his head in his hands. "I've got one fucking headache."

Chichiri frowned. "It couldn't have been that bad, no da. Where did you find them? Do they show any signs of knowing Miaka or of being from Miaka's world?"

"Obviously they're from there! Jus' look at the way they're dressed. An' the stuff they have… Jus' like Miaka." After a somber moment, Tasuki slammed his fist. "Aah! There's somethin' evil gonna pop out now, isn't there? Why did it have ta be us? Can't we toss 'em to Byakko or Genbu as their miko an' leave Konan alone?"

"That's mean, no da. If they were sent here, the Gods have something for them to do. We have to talk to Taiitsukun. But for now, they look a little confused."

Tasuki stared at his friend. The look he gave Chichiri would have been the same if he had caught Chichiri helping them out in a town raid. "Have ya seen 'em? They don' look confused. They look…. Evil. Something'd wrong with 'em. I've got a feelin' they know _exactly_ where they are."

Chichiri thought it over. "Maybe they know Miaka, no da?"

"That could be it… Guess we're jus' gonna have to ask 'em later." Tasuki stared at the inside of the empty cup. "I gotta get myself some sake."

Back at the other end of the stronghold, Kouji had just left the girls within Tasuki's room. It was the largest room they had, used by all the leaders that had led the Reikaku bandits. It was now Genrou's place. However, as soon as he closed the door, Kouji knew that his best friend would not step back in there until they had removed every feminine odor. As soon as he led those two strange other-worldly women in there, he knew that Genrou's private quarters were doomed.

"Eiiieee!" Aya squealed, having listened to Kouji's retreating steps. She turned and ran past her stunned friend. There was a silent pause that hung suspended in the air.. and then she laughed loudly when she collapsed onto the bed. She purposely rumpled the sheets and then sighed happily. "I can now die happy."

Cat stared at the closed door, then turned around to witness the blissful look on the other girl's face, then turned to take in the rest of the room. "We… did not just get dropped into Tasuki's room."

Aya giggled. "Of course we did! And this is his bed… And I bet his clothes is in there," she pointed towards the cabinet. "And I bet that Chiri's place is around the corner…" She waggled an eyebrow at Cat.

"Don't do that! ...Its creepy..." Cat gave her friend a disapproving look, she hated it when anyone 'waggled' anything. "But what are we going to do? They're gonna find out that we know about them... you know from the anime...." She suddenly got a very sad look in her eyes as she sat on Tasuki's bed and gently straightened out the creases in the sheets Aya had produced. "Its going to be even more difficult to explain that than Miaka saying they were from a book... now its 'oh you're from a book and Miaka from an anime and we're from the 'real world'."

"Poor Chiri kun!! I bet you he hates me already, causing him so much trouble and all." She thought back to how beautiful he had looked reading and drinking his tea...

Aya raised one eyebrow slowly. She did not waggle it this time towards her friend. She uncurled from her position and crawled closer, looking up from her stretched out position at Cat. "You know, you have got to stop thinking like that. So they're from an anime… So what? All I know is that I'm really thinking this can't possibly be a dream. And if it isn't, that makes 'em real." She frowned. "And Chiri doesn't hate you. Wait until you actually say something to the guy 'fore you decide."

There was a comfortable silence before Aya rolled upright and bounced off the bed. "Alright, I'm gonna change. I feel like I've been running around Mt. Reikaku all day." She grinned. "Which I have."

Cat rolled her eyes and followed her example, digging through her bag. "I just want to shower. And maybe wash all my clothes… After those guys touched it!!" She pulled out jeans and a shirt, turning her back so that she could change.

Aya had gone ahead with the same ensemble, with a black shirt instead a pink one like her friend's. She was just lifting off her sweaty shirt when the door opened.

"Uh…"

There was a comical moment (perhaps one day the two girls will reflect back and find it comical) where they all stood staring at each other. Aya with her shirt hanging loosely from her fingers, and Cat with her jeans on the ground, about to be pulled up. Tasuki and Chichiri stood in the doorway, as if waiting to see when the girls would react and yell at them.

Instead, the two headed out with quick apologies and shut the door. Aya and Cat stared at the place they were once at, faces red.

"That…" Aya put her shirt on, then changed into jeans faster than she had before. Cat followed right after. "Did not jus' happen!" She finished when they were both dressed. She ran to the door and threw it open, finding two very embarrassed seishi staring at the wall as if the cracked plaster had been the most entertaining thing to watch.

"I'm sorry!" Cat blurted out first chance she got, looking even worse than she had before and unable to meet anyone's eyes.

"Uh… no," Tasuki said, scratching the back of his head. He still didn't look at them. "Sorry we didn' knock, or somethin' like that. Shoulda done so."

"D-daa." Chichiri agreed.

Aya, too ashamed to say much, swept her hand to let them in. They walked in without another exchange of words. Once the two girls settled on the bed and the seishi were standing comfortably in the closed room, they managed to push the incident from their minds.

"Alright… Where do we start." Tasuki began. "How 'bout where you're from an' how you know 'm a seishi."

Aya and Cat looked at him with unblinking eyes. A long moment passed before anyone said anything, then Cat tilted her head and gave it a try. "Well, our world is a bit weird… Um, how do we put this?" She looked at Aya for help.

"We knew a bit about the Shichi Tenshishou," Aya provided. "I never knew how it worked, but I believe there are many universes or worlds out there. Kind of like how your miko come from another world. We just come from another one out there." _Would they buy this? _Aya doubted that she would even believe herself.

"So the Gods brought forth two more girls, but this time from a separate source they used to bring the miko from no da?" Chichiri nodded, as if he began to see a big picture. "We definitely need to speak to Taiitsukun. She should know what is going on, no da."

"So we're stuck with 'em?" Tasuki hissed a bit too loud.

Aya, soon relaxing into her position in the world, glared at him. She gave one of her best cold looks that could normally stop anyone that is on the receiving end. Tasuki was not any different. He flinched and looked away, possibly trying to find some help outside the window… looking down from the second story.

He coughed, trying to distract the girl from her hard look enough to get her attention again. "Anyways, ya two promised some housework. If ya don' mind barbarous men, then ya can start on the kitchen tomorrow. I'll let the cook know you're comin'."

Chichiri gave his ever-present smile to them. "I'll let you know the moment we can find some time to go to Taiitsukun. I have a feeling she is busy at the moment." He turned to the door and opened it up. "For now, how about we give the young ladies some privacy? Sleep well tonight." He walked out, soon followed by Tasuki.

The bandit leader closed the door behind him, but not before giving a warning to the two girls about riffling through his stuff or breaking anything.

The next day, they woke up to some loud shouts outside. Aya was the first to wake up when some morning training started. She took a position next to the window and watched the men curiously, as well as some young boys (possibly bandits-to-be) running back and forth with chores. Cat awoke next when they had begun sparring and the shouts increased.

"'Morning," Aya smiled at her friend. She stood up soon after and began to go through her bags, ready to change into sweats so that she could work comfortably.

Cat mumbled from bed.

"Caat, you're the one that offered housework, now we gotta do it." Aya whined once she changed. She poked her friend in bed. "Or did you forget we're in Konan?"

The other girl shot awake. "Konan!?" She glanced around the room and fell back into bed.

Aya laughed at her. "By the way, you were drooling on the pillow, I guess you had dreams of Chiri again." She ducked the blow from said pillow. "Up! Up! We have lots to do!"

When they were refreshed and ready (still dying to bathe, though) the two girls left to wander the halls back to the mess hall, in hopes of finding the kitchen. What they did find was unrecognizable, and they suddenly knew that they were going to regret their decision.

"I'm guessing you're the new kitchen staff," A short round man said from around a counter that had been stacked with rusted pots and dishes that had crusted food on them layers thick. "I'm Hijyou."

Cat nearly fell backwards when she saw the pile of dishes laid in front of her. She soon realized that she had been addressed and quickly answered back while Aya still held the look of 'oh my God, have they ever cleaned these dishes!?' on her face.

"Y-yes! we're the new help." Cat blurted out as she stretched her right hand out in order to shake hands and properly introduce herself. But when Hijyou san gave her a very questioning look she drew her hand back quickly and bowed slightly instead.

"Sorry! My name is Cat and this is Ay-" But she was cut off by his gruff voice.

"I don care fer your names. Jus start cleanin' already." He then went back to his work with a very irritated presence around him.

"But Hijyou san... where do you want us to start?" Cat asked in a meek voice, the kind she used in the presence of elders and people in charge of her.

"Anywhere, obviously there's lots to do, so pick sometin'... the floors, dishes, anything!" He shouted as he began slicing some odd shaped vegetables.

Aya then grabbed a dusty broom near her and began to sweep with a rather sour look on her face. _What's his problem? _She thought as she swept the inch high dust off the floor. Cat tied her hair up and began working on getting the dishes apart.

After two hours of non stop work, Cat had managed to get half of the dishes cleaned. They lay face down on a few rags on a table so they could dry. They nearly sparkled since she had put so much effort into cleaning them properly.

Aya was also progressing well. She had the entire kitchen swept and was now starting on mopping the floor. But since this was Konan, and they were bandits, they didn't own a mop. Instead she had to do it the old fashioned way, hands and knees on the floor and rag in hand.

When things were starting to look like they might actually work out fine, disaster began to strike. Hijyou san had just walked into the kitchen after taking a break and began giving them their schedule.

"Right, I expect ya ta be up by six o'clock and in here by then. Firs you help me with da breakfas and then you go onta laundry an cleanin house fer the res o' the day." He said in his usual gruff voice, but this time he wasn't as irritated as before. He was actually quite relieved to have extra help that was able to actually clean properly. He hadn't seen the dishes shine like they did since they'd first been brought to the hold...

But then as Cat was bowing as a way of saying she accepted the task on her behalf and Aya's and thanking him she somehow managed to slip on water that Aya had left on the floor. She went back and before she hit the ground she tried to grab onto the counter, but instead she took down a few dishes with her.

Aya then slipped on some water and went sliding into Hijyou san, almost knocking him over. She fell back and also took down a few dishes when she hit the table where they neatly stacked. The noise resounded throughout the entire back part of the hold while the dishes crashed to the floor. After the noise had stopped Aya and Cat stayed down on the floor motionless.

It had been less than twenty four hours and they had already managed to cause havoc. After the long pause Cat tried to climb to her feet

"I'm so sorry!!!" She cried out as she slipped and managed to cut her right hand on a piece of porcelain from one of the broken dishes. She didn't realize she had cut herself until she used her hand to get a grip on the counter and saw blood on it.

"I-I'm sooo sorry!" She pleaded as she began to wipe the blood off with her shirt.

Aya soon joined in, "It was an accident! We'll clean it up!!" She chimed in as she began to pick up the pieces of dish ware from the floor around her.

Hijyou san simply left the room. His face was as red as anything they'd ever seen before. Cat and Aya did keep their promise to clean up, and they did so with incredible speed.

Aya soon realized that she could add on a new member to her ever growing family of scratches and bruises. She had gone down pretty hard. Cat quickly ran to their new room in order to get something to wrap her hand with while Aya dried the remainder of the floor. As the room came into sight she gave a sigh of relief, it would have been very embarrassing if anyone had seen her running around with a bloody hand received from doing simple housework.

But before she made it to the room Chichiri came out of his own, which just happened to be only a bit down the hall from their own. He seemed cheerful enough, at least his mask did. He gave off a rather odd aura from himself... she could tell something was bothering him.

_Most likely us... _Cat thought while she stood still watching him with a concerned look on her face. The last thing she had wanted to do was cause him more problems.

Just then the seishi turned towards her and found Cat watching him with a worried look on her face. She quickly snapped out of her trance like state and was able to blurt out something with much difficulty.

"Good morning!" She said in a very animated voice as she gave a quick smile and began making her way to the room. She completely forgot that blood was pouring out of her right hand which she cradled in her left. All the pain was gone when she saw him in the morning light.

Chichiri's fox smile appeared puzzled for a moment, watching as the girl quickly disappeared into her room. Something about both girls really confused him. He felt their auras disturbed, and worried for them. _Our first concern is to figure out how they got here_, he told himself and then headed out of the hold.

Getting used to the early morning shifts was very difficult for two college students. They were used to sleeping in until at least eight. But now they were up before the crack of dawn and working.

Aya and Cat were in the kitchen preparing what looked to them to be an oatmeal type food. They hadn't broken anything so far which was an improvement from the day before where between the two of them they had managed to break seven plates and the only broom. They now had to sweep the floor the same way they mopped.

The two girls could hear the men starting to gather in the mess hall for breakfast and they were a bit worried since today they were actually going to help serve the food. Cat wasn't too found of the idea of being one of the only two females living within the hold. She had already received her share of remarks as she did her chores.

Aya didn't mind it so much, as long as she was around Tasuki, everything was great. Although getting the undesired attention was not something she was thrilled with, either. She sent the men trademark glares, which earned her even more… which earned the men a few curses and occasionally something tossed their way—a wooden spoon or small unbreakable trinkets. At the moment, she smiled as she stirred the 'gruel' and added a bit of spices she had been instructed to add, trying to ignore her past experiences with the bandits.

"Aya, don't go overboard like last time... we actually want it to be edible." Cat teased as she also added the spices to her own pot.

Cat caught sight of the smirk and gave off a rather concerned look. "You're thinking of something pretty bad, aren't you?" She said as she removed the pot from the fire and placed the wooden spoon she had been using to stir down. "You had better not try anything. They'd toss us out the first chance they have, and it'd be easy if they had a good excuse!" She stared out of the half open window that opened up into a wooded area.

"I'm not thinking of anything bad!" Aya said in a disbelieving tone. Then again, her innocent look never fooled anyone. "Besides I bet you're thinking of things just as bad with Chiri so close."

Before Cat could say anything it was time to carry the very heavy pots into the mess hall where the men would come up and grab their portion. Aya carried the pot with some difficulty, but not as much as Cat. She was stumbling back and forth and nearly dropped it twice. She wasn't physically blessed.

They finally reached the mess hall, where all the men were eagerly awaiting the arrival of their morning meal. As soon as the girls set down the pots they formed a line.

The girls endured some rather interesting remarks while they served the men, ranging from the usual cat calls and jeers to snickers and gawking. Finally their shift was over. They could now start cleaning up the kitchen and move onto laundry.

By now the sun was shinning brightly when they carried out the large loads of dirty clothes to the river. They began scrubbing against rocks and using an odd smelling soap.

"It smells like... Magnolias." Cat said as she thought back to Gainesville. The smell of magnolia's filled the campus in the spring time and even as late as autumn. _I wonder if some are still blooming now... _

Aya was in no way thinking about UF. She was instead concentrated on washing the clothes thoroughly. She scrubbed as hard as she could, thinking this was the proper way of washing clothes by hand. But she didn't realize that she only succeeded in creating holes in the clothes. She finally realized this when Cat pointed it out.

"Aya, stop! you're going to ruin it!" Cat screamed in terror as she saw tears appearing on the white shirt. Aya soon came out of her furry and immediately stopped.

"Oops, guess I was trying a bit too hard, eh?" She asked with an embarrassed smile. She wasn't used to cleaning without appliances to help her.

Finally the girls had finished doing the laundry, returning with most of the clothes in one piece. They managed to only see Gen Chan once, and Chichiri was no where to be found.

Later that night they decided to take a bath in a small hot spring near the hold. They each claimed their own section and bathed in peace while looking up at the full moon in the velvet dark blue sky. The scent of their foreign shampoo filled the air as Cat floated on the surface of the water looking up at the stars. She felt refreshed after finally scrubbing her skin raw that had seen little cleansing since they had found themselves in Konan.

Aya took her time scrubbing away all the grit and grime that had accumulated itself on her while thinking about Tasuki. Her thoughts focused on finding some time alone with the bandit leader. She giggled to herself as she grabbed her wash basin, filled it with the water from the pool, and rinsed herself off.

Cat on the other hand thought of her family and friends she had left behind... wondering if they knew what had happened... _How much time has gone by over there? Do they even know I'm gone? _She stared up at the sky, wondering and reflecting on her present situation when she heard a soft rustling in the bushes near her. She quickly sank down a bit, covering her nude body as best she could with her hands.

"W-who's there?" She asked in a rather shaky voice.

Aya then followed suit, trying to conceal herself when all of a sudden a soft 'meow' was heard. "T-tama?!" Aya asked in joy as she heard another meow.

The cat soon appeared and happily walked over to her. Cat swam over to the feline and began to pet it. "You're so much cuter than I thought you'd be!" She squealed as she petted the kitty. Tama was very content and began giving off soft purring sounds. Who wouldn't enjoy the attention this little guy was receiving?

The two girls laughed as they continued to admire the cat.

Luckily, the cat did not have them too distracted. The sounds of gruff male voices were easy to spot out where they were.

Cat cried loudly in surprise and sank deeply in the dark water while Aya luckily snagged her towel and wrapped it around herself before Tasuki and Chichiri cleared the bushes.

_They seem to love catching us like this!!_ Aya's face turned red.

Cat, on the other hand, covered everything and her mind screamed her embarrassment. Again.

It did not take long for the men to retreat this time.

"Oh god, can't I just die right now?" Cat whined from the water.

"Sorry, no da!" Chichiri's voice came from some ways off. He must have heard Cat's comment.

_They're still there!_ Aya and Cat stared in horror in the direction that the voice came from. It wasn't true… they were still waiting for them to leave? Cat leapt from the water and took up her towel, both going as fast as they could to dress in their clothes.

"So sorry." Cat mumbled as she picked up her discarded supplies. "We'll leave to let you to bathe now." She followed Aya past the bushes, her head low.

"Actually…" Tasuki began, eyes not meeting either of theirs. "We wanted ta know if ya two were alright. We still don' know why you're 'ere an' we don' want ya wandering away."

Aya's eyes brightened, and she smiled. Even in her damp clothes and after being seen in a towel, Tasuki's words helped calm all her frayed nerves. "So you're not going to toss us out into this world?"

"Of course not, no da!" Chichiri reassured them. "But you have to be ready. We are going to go visit Taiitsukun, someone who most likely will know why you were sent here, no da. We'll set off in a few days."

They both nodded and then left the two seishi to their bath, if that is what they were actually planning on doing. A small white cat with brown markings, also known as Tama, followed right at the girl's heels.

* * *

Hi, Cat again! 

So that's the end of chapter 2... but wait!What's gonna happen in the next chapter?!

You'll just have to wait and see! So leave a review and stick around!


	3. Chapter 3

Cat: Hi everyone, it's been a bit since we've added anything new so here you go, enjoy! 

Chiri: Can I do the disclaimer this time, no da?

Cat: Sure!

Chiri states:

Disclaimer: Watase Yuu owns all of Fushigi Yuugi. Including its great characters (I'm one of them, no da!)

But Aya and Cat do own the characters they come up with and all the other stuff they make up too, no da!

Cat: Great job, Chiri kun! Well now that that's taken care of... Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukah, Happy Kwanzaa to all!

Chiri: And Happy New Years, na no da!

* * *

**Chapter 3**

Aya had trouble sleeping the night after the hot spring incident. She tossed around in bed thinking of a certain red-haired man. It had already been five days since they arrived. _Or is that four? _She never could really keep track of time.

The two girls were already able to get accustomed to their new schedule. Wake up to early weaponry practice out in the courtyard, then make breakfast for the bandits heading out to do their duties: collecting tolls, guarding, searching for any trouble from their rivals, or planning out a town raid.

As for the leader of the group, he never appeared for breakfast, and was seen to head out into the mountain in the same direction every morning, sometimes accompanied by Kouji. Chichiri meditated most of the early day and then went around the hold, doing who-knows-what. The monk was a mysterious man.

Cat did not seem to mind. The small moments she caught him, it had made her happy. At the moment, she was sleeping with a satiated smile on the other side of the large bed, hugging her pillow as tightly as possible.

Aya, on the other hand, was unsatisfied. They barely had time to see the seishi, let alone have a decent conversation. She slowly slipped out of bed and glanced out of their window, ignoring the sudden feel of vertigo. It was still a few hours before dawn, and she was no where near rested enough. She put a hand to her throbbing head and sighed, then headed out into the hallway. Halfway down the darkened path, a mischievous idea came to her mind. She toed her way to one door and carefully opened it, poking her head in.

_Snoring… But the occupant seems to be sleeping normally. Can't possibly be him,_ Aya told herself. She knew that the one she was looking for would most likely be sprawled all over his bed, with his blankets tossed off and limbs in strange angles. She closed the door and headed to the next one around the corner. _Found you! _She cheered when she looked in.

Tasuki felt something stir besides him in his bed. A brief sleepy moment passed where he thought his men once again threw another girl into his bed as a joke, hopefully allowing him some stress relief. He gave off a rather irritated smile as he closed his eyes and cursed Kouji for being so persistent. This was not the first time a woman appeared in his quarters, but he rather appreciated that they would not do this. He still hated women.

Soon after he quickly removed the bed sheet and began to say "Oi, girly, I don' need any company so jus' get yerself..." But once he saw that it was Aya in his bed he couldn't finish his sentence. Instead he gawked at the shameless girl as she slept peacefully next to him.

As if to make matters worse she then grabbed onto his right arm, while still sleeping, and let out a soft smile. "Gen- chan..." She said softly while she slept and cuddled with his arm.

Tasuki's eyes nearly left their sockets as he watched the scene unfold. He had no idea of what to do. He then lost all self control and began yelling at the top of his lungs. "OI GE' OUT OF MY BED!!!!" He said as he shook his arm free from the death grip.

Cat had just woken up and found that Aya was missing. She of course knew this couldn't be good so she had set out in search of her. She had just been passing by Tasuki's bedchamber when she heard the yelling. _She couldn't have!? _Cat thought as she halted in front of the door and wondered what to do. She softly knocked on the large oak door and then pushed it open slightly.

"Um, excuse me but, can I help in any way?" She asked as she peeked in.

Tasuki turned his attention to the other girl and then back to Aya who was still sleeping next to him. "Can you remove 'er?" He said in almost a growl.

"Um, yes!" Cat said quickly as she went into the room and went towards Aya. She began to shake her awake but Aya only rolled over towards Tasuki.

"Aya, please wake up!" Cat said in a very flustered voice as she watched Aya. She then grabbed her arm and tried to pull her out of bed. She let out a slight gasp. _She's so warm!_ She thought as she looked over her friend. She then placed her hand over her forehead. "Oh no! Aya how did you get sick all of a sudden!?!" Cat began to run back and forth, not knowing where to go.

"My bag, my bag!! Where is it, oh that's right in my room!" She then ran out of the room but then moments later she ran back in to find Tasuki with a rather confused look on his face as he looked down at Aya.

"Tasuki kun! Please leave the room! I don't want you to catch whatever Aya may have." She then left the room to get some cold medicine she had packed for the trip and her handy dandy thermometer.

Later that afternoon Aya had finally woken up and taken a dose of medicine and was feeling much better. Cat on the other hand was flooded with work. She had to do Aya's half, and also take care of Aya. She worked feverishly as she did three things at a time. Shouts of "where's my food?!" could be heard from the mess hall as Cat stirred the soup and sliced the bread.

Chichiri had just happened to be walking by when Cat was struggling to reach the next loaf of bread and pour the soup at the same time. "Do you need any help, no da?" He asked her as he watched her continue the struggle.

She then froze at the sound of his voice. "Um, no, I mean yes, I mean I'm sorry to bother you but could you please hand me that?" She asked quickly and in a rather flustered manner as she closed her eyes thinking about how foolish she must have looked to him. _Can't I act like a normal person around him for even a second? _When she reopened her eyes she found that the loaf of bread was next to her but that Chichiri was gone.

"Huh? Um... thank you..." She said quietly as she looked at the hallway and smiled slightly. She stayed like that for a few seconds before another call of "My food!" was heard from the dinning area. "Yes, coming!" She then loaded up the remainder and began serving the very hungry men.

The next day Aya was nearly cured from her cold and Cat couldn't have been happier. It was mid morning and she was washing some the men's clothes in the river. She softly began to sing to herself while she washed and thought of a certain monk the whole time. She finally finished and went to hang the clothes, as she stood up to walk over to the basket she felt someone near her and looked over her shoulder.

"Tasuki kun?" She asked in a rather confused voice. She had not expected to see him there. "What's wrong... you don't look so good..." She observed him as he stood rather limp and out of it.

"I think yer lit' friend gave me a cold." He said in a congested voice as he gave out a rather loud sneeze. "An' the rest of my men."

Cat watched him as he gave out a string of sneezes and took out a handkerchief to blow his nose. _They must have a weak immune system... oh no! It's because Aya must have brought over the cold from our world. It might have been incubating in her and now it decided to emerge... Of course they're not accustomed to such illnesses and are more likely to get sick... once one of them get it, the rest fall like dominos... _

She then realized that Tasuki was swerving from side to side. "Are you alright?!" She screamed in panic as he slowly tipped over, she ran to catch him before he hit the ground. "Uf!"_ He sure is heavy! _She struggled with him for a second before deciding to let him down gently since she couldn't carry him back. "Oh no! How am I going to get you back?!"

But Tasuki was already knocked out cold. Luckily Chichiri was just happening to walk by the whole scene. He heard a familiar voice and saw Cat with Tasuki on the floor. "What happened?" He asked her.

"He got sick and passed out, but I can't carry him and everyone else is sick too and I don't have enough medicine for them!" She was rather flustered as usual. Chichiri easily lifted Tasuki up and began walking to the hold. Cat then grabbed the wash and followed.

"Ohh! I feel sooo much better!" Aya said in a mellow voice as she finally got out of Tasuki's bed. She walked down the oddly quiet halls looking for Cat. "Hmmm... Where is everyone?" She wondered and then she saw Chichiri carrying an unconscious Tasuki and Cat following behind.

"Please take him to our room, it's bigger and Aya hasn't been in there while she's been sick." Cat said as she followed.

"Cat?! What happened to Gen-chan?!" She yelled as she watched Chichiri run off to their bedroom.

"You gave him your cold... along with all the other bandits. Now that you're better at least we can take care of them! Come on, we need to make them lunch." Cat ran off to the kitchen as Aya stood dumbfounded. Chichiri soon returned and found Aya there, "I'm going to the village to get some medicine, I should be back soon so please watch over things here while I'm gone, no da." He ordered her as he sped away.

After they had finished making lunch, hanging up the wash and cleaning, the girls collapsed on their bed. Cat laid wondering where Chichiri was and hoping that everyone would get better soon while Aya nearly cried over her Genrou.

All of a sudden they heard a door slide open and Cat jumped to her feet. "Chichiri!" She said in an overjoyed voice as she ran out to meet him. But instead she found a very content Shorei standing with about twenty men besides him and many more outside. Cat quickly backed up with a terrified look on her face.

"Ah, so I see." He gave out a little chuckle as he watched Cat retreating. "I gues' Reikaku bandits ne' ther' fun too?"

_No, what do I do?!?! Tasuki's sick and so are the rest of his bandits and now Chichiri's gone! _Shorei began walking towards her when she finally said something "STOP!" She yelled at the top of her lungs. All of the men were a bit surprised at the sudden outburst but they quickly recovered. _Damn, that's all I've got!!! _

Luckily the commotion had made Aya bring out their sabers. She ran and found the scene that was about to unfold, Cat half the size of Shorei, trying to keep the bandits from entering the house and attacking the sick Reikaku bandits.

"Cat, catch!" Aya quickly tossed her the saber and Cat assumed the engarde position.

"If you don't get out now we'll have to attack you!" She said in a rather strong tone. She was usually so carefree and gentle that it was rather shocking to hear her use that voice. She stood strong and didn't flinch as the men began to laugh. She didn't care if she died fighting them, she wasn't going to let them hurt the Reikaku bandits... not after all they had done for her and Aya.

Even though Cat held a threatening stance towards the bandits, she knew that she couldn't fend them off. She then began using her saber. She moved the tip in a circular motion like she had seen the Epee's do, to catch the attention of the leader. It worked. He had no idea what she was up to.

After doing this for about half a minute Cat then quickly turned and ran away towards Kouji's bedroom.

"Come on Aya!" She yelled as she ran.

"C-Cat!?" Aya whined as she was left behind. She barely turned her head before she had a bandit run at her with a broad sword in hand. Now was not the time to run away! The shorter girl stood her ground and parried the attack, marveling at the speed she had been able to use to block the death strike coming at her head. Before she could think upon her own attack, the rest of the men began to swarm through the door at her.

_Not like this! I won't let them kill of the bandits, especially when they're defenseless like this!!_ Aya growled low in her throat, narrowing her eyes. Everything moved slowly suddenly and she realized that the men where hesitating.

"You're not fucking getting another step closer to them!" She stared at the man that she had parried, who was still struggling against her. Her wild mind realized it was Shorei, the group's leader.

"Hah! A lil' girl can' stop us! 'M gonna murder tha' Genrou!" Shorei's eyes burned with revenge, and it was enough to cause Aya to break.

The girl's growl rose in volume, causing her to gain enough strength to push the blade away from her. She threw herself at him afterwards, foot knocking the wind out of him as she kicked him onto the ground. Two other men jumped at her, and she wildly slashed at them with her saber, which actually penetrated skin. One clawed hand, which she hadn't realized, clutched at the leader's neck.

Cat soon reached the first bedroom and pushed the wooden door open. "Kouji Kun!!!" she said in a panicked voice as she caught sight of the bandit. His face was covered in sweat, his fever was breaking. He slowly opened his eyes and saw Cat above him.

"Kouji kun! The bandits, they're here! They're going to kill everyone!" He tried to get himself up but he was too weak. He collapsed on the bed and lay with a look of utter disgust towards himself.

_No! This can't be happening! _Cat then grabbed his hand and began to plead with him. "Please Kouji kun, please get up! We can't do anything. Chichiri san has left and its only Aya and..."

Kouji soon after got up. "Wha happened?" He asked as he looked at her with a puzzled face.

But before Cat could answer him back the shouts of men and one girl were heard close by. Kouji then jumped to his feet and ran out to join in the battle.He found the other girl, Aya, encased in blue as she fought off the bandits that tried to attack her. Strangely enough, she held her ground well. One arm moved at a miraculous speed to parry attacks with her own weapon while the other beat the revengeful leader to the ground, over and over. He joined in the battle once he realized she was not going to hold out too long.

A bandit had already snagged Aya from her collar, tossing her into a wall. The short girl recovered, propelled herself off the wall, and threw a fist into the bandit that sent him flying into two more of his companions. The two against the small army were keeping the enemy back.

After a moment's hesitation of trying to figure out what had happened, Cat ran towards Tasuki's room. Along the way, Cat had alerted many of the other bandits. The same thing happened to them, they were sick and then they were miraculously healed.

After every person that got up, Cat felt weaker and weaker. She now was weaving from side to side and felt very warm and dizzy. Finally she reached Tasuki's room, she stumbled in to find a seriously ill bandit laying in bed.

"Tasuki kun! Please wake up! Those bandits are here!" Cat said in a forced manner as she fought the pain she felt swelling up in her head.

She then went to his side. By now, she felt very weak so she kneeled next to his bed. She saw him stir in his sleep and shift as if trying to wake up.

"Tasuki... kun..." Cat weakly said as she placed her left hand softly on his forehead. This time a soft pink light appeared and soon he awoke.

His vivid eyes flashed open and were just able to see when Cat collapsed onto the floor. "Eh?! Wha's wrong wit you?!" Tasuki cried out as he saw her on the floor but he knew that he needed to get to the growing sounds of his fellow bandits fighting, so he reluctantly placed her on his bed.

When he was about to leave he caught sight of something that almost made him scream. Under her left wrist was the kanji sign for 'soul', tamashi. A soft pink light shone from it and soon it faded.

"S-she can't be..." But then the yelling of the ensuing battle drew him outside.

He unleashed the furry of his Tessen on those unfortunate to be near him. While he cleared the Kaou bandits his eyes caught sight of a rather odd image. What had once been the small and thin Aya was now an almost wolf like creature. She still retained her human features but now had sharp long claws instead of small nails. And her teeth had become fangs. Her body was engulfed in a bright blue aura, moving crouched low as she attacked her enemies. She moved with a speed almost rival to that of Tasuki's, ripping through ranks of Kaou bandits quite easily, slicing them with her claws having discarded her saber long ago. But as soon as the room was cleared she changed back into the nicer version of Aya.

Shorei had been badly wounded by Aya. He had ducked out of the battle and had set off in search of Tasuki, in hopes of killing him before he died.

Along his way he had heard the Reikaku bandits speaking of their illness being miraculously healed by a young girl. He knew that it must have been the girl who had threatened him and then fooled him. He cursed at her for having turned the tide and allowed the Reikaku to defeat his men.

When he finally reached Tasuki's room he experienced a rather bittersweet emotion surge through him. Tasuki was gone but at least he could use Cat to get healed and run off to fight another day.

Cat awoke when she felt someone roughly shaking her. When she opened her eyes she found Shorei staring down at her, blood running down his face where fresh scratches had been placed by Aya.

"Oi, girl, heal me!" Shorei yelled at her as he continued to violently shake her now weak body.

She winced from the pain of having her entire body treated so harshly. Her head felt as if it might explode with every cruel motion she was subjected to.

"P-please stop." She managed as tears rolled down her pale face. Shorei did indeed stop but only because he thought she was going to heal his wounds.

"Alrig' I'll leave ya alone if ya heal me. I know ya can, 'cause ya've helped everyone else." He now said in a rather excited voice.

He was looking forward to not dying in such a despicable manner. He yearned for another chance to kill Tasuki. But his excitement soon turned into rage when Cat finally spoke after gathering what was left of her strength. "I can't anymore...." She said in a soft voice.

She then closed her eyes once more, though tears were still streaming from them. Even though he had tried to rape her and Aya, and now was trying to kill them... she still didn't want him to die

_... I'm sorry.... _

Of course Shorei didn't care about her _wanting_ to heal him... he just wanted to not die.

"Fine then, bitch!" He drew his sword out and held it over his head with his two hands, point facing downwards. "If I can' kill that damn Genrou, I mig' as well kill the bitch who helped him!"

He plunged his sword downwards, satisfied that his blade would draw the end of this girl who had helped cause his demise. Instead, it scraped against a set barrier. _Impossible!_ He cried. _She couldn't set up a barrier, she barely had any energy to stay awake!_

"Get away from her," a cold voice hissed from just outside the door.

Shorei turned to find himself against the other surviving Suzaku shichiseishi. "I'll kill 'er!" He shouted, half mad. "I'll fuckin' kill 'er!"

Chichiri took a step into the room, staff held out and his face stiff. Even through the mask, it wasn't difficult to tell that he was furious. "You can't. Now retreat. You won't be able to survive with those deep wounds for too long."

Shorei hesitated, face twisted in disgust. He looked at the unconscious girl in bed, protected by the existing barrier created by the seishi. With a hiss, he ran passed Chichiri, who made a path to the door, turned the corner and disappeared.

The aftermath of the battle was horrible. Aya sat in the room that Cat slept in, her nerves jumping to new heights. Tasuki paced, and Chichiri was leaning against the wall.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Aya muttered, avoiding eyesight from any of the men. "I've got nothing weird like that."

"I told ya, I saw ya friend had a mark!" Tasuki shouted, which made Aya flinch. He suddenly bit back his harsh tone. After all, only days before she was suffering from a really bad fever. In his bed.

"We're going to leave for Taikyoku-san tomorrow morning. Taiitsukun _might _be able to explain what has been happening, no da." This time Chichiri stressed the 'might'. After all, things had begun to get stranger. _There is no way that more seishi can appear. There exists _only_ 28_.

Chichiri headed for the door, but stopped on the way as he looked down to Cat. "If she awakens, then we'll be able to head out, no da. She used a lot of her energy in healing many of the men here, so we'll have to let her recuperate, no da." He smiled back towards the concerned friend, leaning in a chair close to the bed, then left.

Tasuki hung around the room for awhile, as if he had something to say. He had been looking at the small Aya, trying to compare her to the beast-looking woman that had defeated a good portion of the Mt. Kaou bandits. She made sure that those men wouldn't think about stepping onto his mountain for a VERY long time. He opened his mouth, closed it, then abruptly left the room without ever having said anything.

As soon as the door closed, Aya finally looked up. "We are so screwed, Cat," she sighed. The girl in the bed shifted, but did not wake up. "I wonder if we will ever be able to get back home… Not that I mind entirely, but a part of me feels like I am not welcome. Hell, I think they'd get rid of us the first chance they get…"

No one answered her, and soon enough she began to feel the aftereffects of the battle and dozed off in the chair.

A few hours later, Aya awoke to a darkened room and Cat's peaceful breathing. _At least she was resting well…_ Stretching from her awkward position of being draped on the chair, she then proceeded to head outside for a walk… or something. She really wasn't thinking of her destination, but she ended up at Tasuki's door either way. The same room she had stayed in when she was ill and had snuck in the night before that.

She tested the door first. It wouldn't budge. She shrugged her shoulders and considered leaving to go wander around some more, but it still bothered her. Silently, she dropped to the ground and put her head at level, glancing under the doorframe. Luckily, she spotted the piece of wood that held the knob, providing some form of lock.

_That's smart, Gen-chan. But it's a shame not many of these doors have locks. _Having small hands and thin arms, she was able to push through the bottom of the doorframe. Next thing she knew, there was a loud thud as the wood hit the floor.

"Oops… I didn' do it," she whispered, an instinct thing she has grown accustomed, even if she was guilty. She stood up, gave it a few seconds, then opened the door. Stepping inside, she discovered that some form of makeshift curtain was drawn over the window and the room was even darker than the last time.

She wandered over towards the bed, but was actually in no mood to go to sleep. And she did feel a bit guilty about sneaking into his bed, when she knew his dislike of women._ Doubtful there can ever be anything. _Instead, she sat down at the foot of the bed and rested her head on the mattress, staring up at the ceiling, lost in thought.

"What, this time ya not gonna get into th' bed?" A soft voice said right by the girl's ears.

Aya jumped away and held in her squeak of surprise. The man always looked as if he could sleep through anything. "I-I'm sorry I woke you up!" She whispered a bit too loud.

"I wasn' even sleepin'," he replied and she heard him shift. She could barely see the shape of him as he sat up in bed. "What's wrong with you, sneakin' 'to a bandit's bed? Most of us jus' head down to the brothel, but if ya gonna offer, 'm sure some men would like ya company."

The next thing Tasuki knew, was the incredible pain of being whacked across the face with a two-by-four nearly at Nuriko's strength. Of course he was used to it but… "What the fuck was that for!?"

Aya had lost her temper. And no one wants to know Aya when she's mad. She grabbed the first thing in reach right when those words left the bandit's mouth, and swung it as hard as possible, hoping to hit something. "That was for your fucking comment, you asshole."

Rubbing his face--which he knew was going to bruise--Tasuki stared incredulously at the girl. He knew where she was, even though he couldn't really see her, and felt a shiver go down his spine at the glare he was receiving. He couldn't have imagined a woman to have such a mouth. Even women from Miaka's world, or somewhere similar to the miko's place. "Then why are ya 'ere?" Aya was silent, and he quickly grew irritated. "Well?"

"I'm thinking, damnit!" Aya hissed. He was about to comment back, but she cut him off. "I couldn't sleep."

"How 'bout botherin' your friend, or Chichiri?" Tasuki muttered and then tossed back into bed, his arms behind his head. "Damn women are so confusing."

Aya bit back a harsh reply. It's not like she could blame him, actually. "Well, I don't want to disturb Cat. She's had it rough already." She did not know what to say. She really did not like trying to come up with a lie, she was more of the honest kind of person. Except in this situation, it was more difficult. "You don't mind if I just hang out here for a bit, do you?"

Tasuki let out an undignified snort. "If ya really want to." He tried to go to sleep, but the presence of the girl wouldn't let him. "Oi, if ya gonna sleep 'ere, might as well take the bed." He then shifted off to the other side and went to the ground. "It's all yours," he called from his side.

Aya lifted herself onto the bed and crawled across to look down at Tasuki. "There's no need for that, get back up here. If it's like that, then I'll leave." She did not say anything about going back to her room, which Tasuki picked up.

"If you're jus' gonna wander 'round, I'd rather have ya in a place where I know you'd be alright." From the bandits and from herself. _Who knows what trouble this girl can get into… or rather, what trouble she could cause for others._

Aya didn't have anything to reply, and jus shifted off the bed and went back to the ground. "Fine, but 'm not taking the bed."

"You're stubborn, aren't ya?" Tasuki muttered.

Aya smirked, and it was heard through her voice. "Doesn't seem like I'm the only one."

Tasuki shifted his arms under his head, trying to get comfortable before closing his eyes. His thoughts were restless, and they mostly were centered on the true identity of these mysterious women. Something just didn't seem right to him. "You're probably jus' some strange perverted girl, aren't ya?" He said softly, although he guessed she was asleep.

Suddenly, his pillow was slapped into his face. The girl had good aim in the middle of the night. "For that, I'm stealing your bed," she grumbled, nestling into his covers like a cat.

Tasuki rubbed his abused face, but was grateful for the pillow.

Speaking of cats…. Tama scratched at the girls' door. Chichiri, having sensed the restless ki of Aya leave the room, decided to come check on their other charge. He smiled down at the late healing seishi's cat, opening the door quietly to let Tama and himself in.

It was strange to hear of similar healing powers like those of Mitsukake. Tama jumped up on the bed and mewed softly, rubbing up against the girl laying there.

"Urm…" Cat groaned as she shifted. She was waking up to a mouthful of cat hair… Well, not that she would ever mind. "'Lo, Tama." She said softly, eyes still closed.

Chichiri considered leaving before she noticed, but as he took a step back, his soft step already alerted his presence.

"Who's there?" Cat called, jerking upright, and then moaning at the sudden headache.

"It's Chichiri, no da. Be careful," he said as he approached the bed.

Cat opened her eyes and watched as the Seishi walked towards her bed. "W-what happened?" She asked in a very confused tone. But then her memories came flooding back to her. Chichiri had saved her.

"Oh..." Cat let out softly as she looked down at the sheets. She couldn't raise her eyes to meet him. She recalled his furious voice telling the bandit to leave her alone.

Chichiri was rather confused. "Are you alright, no da?" He asked her. He tried to make eye contact with her but she shifted her gaze whenever he tried to meet hers.

"I'm fine, thank you... Um... I'm sorry about what happened... I didn't want to be a burden but I guess I didn't try hard enough." She gave off a weak apologetic smile.

"Why are you sorry? You helped defeat the bandits, no da." The Seishi was a bit confused at her manner. She was a very unusual girl indeed...

Cat finally lifted her gaze to meet his, her brown eyes starting to swell up with tears. She didn't know what was going on. She missed her family... but she was here, so close to him... "Its just that I... I don't really know why, but I'm just sorry that I couldn't do more... I should have helped him..."

Chichiri was a bit taken aback by this statement. He was amazed that this girl was actually shedding tears for the man who had tried to kill her... "It wasn't your fault, no da." He said in a soothing voice. His face showed concern as he saw tears stream down her tired face.

Cat finally noticed this and began wiping her eyes. His voice allowed her to calm herself down a bit. "I'm sorry I'm making such a scene... But thank you for you kind words, Chichiri-san."

"You don't have to thank me, no da. I'm glad to help." Chichiri than gave off his own smile. She was such a sweet girl... but he sensed a great sadness within her... "Well I'll let you rest. Now that you've awaken we should be able to head out tomorrow." He then turned and began to leave the room.

"Thank you... for saving me today." Cat said softly before the Seishi left. He then turned around, nodded his head slightly at her and left, leaving a very content Cat with a purring Tama to rest.

* * *

Hi, Cat again!

I must say, I'm a bit depressed that not even one person has reviewed our fic so far. Aya's even lost hope on it! So what can I say, its not looking good right now, this is co written so it won't be the same if Aya doesn't feel like continuing...

So please, if you actually like this fic and want to see what happens next, please leave us a review. If not... I can't assure you that there will be any more additions to our fic... I know...its sad.

But you can prevent this premature death, so hurry and leave a review!

Thanks and Happy Holidays!


	4. Chapter 4

Aya: Me here. Technically, I had not abandoned the fanfic (as with everything else I have written). I jus' got a very bad case of writer's block.. an' being lazy doesn't help.

Tasuki: Jus' say ya got bored of it.

Aya: Shush, you. Anyways, I also kind of forgot we were posting it on ; So... yah, mostly deals with the fact that no one ever reviews these things

Tasuki: Ya suck at draggin' 'em in.

Aya: You're gonna get smacked... :grumbles: Maybe I should change the summary. Come Tasuki, we got stuff to do...

Tasuki: Dammit, woman! Ya don' own me!

(As the truth goes, we don', so don' sue us or anything... they're Watase Yu's creations.)

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* * *

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**Chapter 4**

Morning was not as much as a blessing as they hoped it would be. Tasuki woke up with a back cramp and a bruised face, Aya with several sore muscles as well as her neck in pain, Cat was still a bit drowsy, and Chichiri…. As cheerful as he always looked. At least that was his appearance.

"'Morning," Aya mumbled as she rolled off the bed, Tasuki's side, and threw open the curtains. She had to go through this every morning when they woke up to do chores in the stronghold. She trudged to the grumbling bandit. "I think we've got to leave early" yawn "today." She nudged him with a foot to emphasize the getting up part, shrugged, and then left to go get dressed and refreshed.

"Good morning," Cat called as she packed up whatever she had out. She listened as her friend entered the room and began to go through her bag. "Had another good rest in Tasuki's bed?"

Aya turned weary eyes to her. "Um-hm," she said with a smile. She then proceeded to get dressed in jeans and a tank top.

When the two girls headed out, they were intercepted by the bandit leader. Tasuki was dressed in white pants, black boots, a yellow-black Chinese-looking tunic with a thick golden sash, and his belt that held his tessen. He told them that they were to meet at the mess hall, before any of the other bandits came to get breakfast, and they would then head out.

Seated at one of the round tables, they quickly ate their porridge, or "gruel" as the girls called it.

"I really feel like eating pancakes," Cat whined as she downed the last of her water.

"Waffles dripped in syrup, or a bagel… cereal, chocolate milk, a donut-"

"Ayaaa!" Cat cried, "You're starting to depress me with just food." She was already homesick.

"Sorry," Aya lowered her head to finish her food, and then suddenly remembered. "Hey, Cat, the guys said you had a symbol… like the seishi." Said guys perked up and looked at the two of them. Aya turned her attention to them. "How do you make it work?"

Chichiri set down his cup of tea. "Well, it's normally when we're using our powers, no da. Or an excessive amount of energy is being released."

Aya thought about it for a second. "Hey, how 'bout fixing up that bruise on Genrou's cheek?" She grinned. Said bandit gave her a glare.

"Oh! Ok… I'll try." Cat blushed and leaned over towards Tasuki, hand out as she had started to remember Mitsukake do. Soon enough, a soft glow emitted and the bruise disappeared. She then sat back and stared at her wrist in surprise.

"Tamashii," Chichiri commented. "The character for soul, no da. You might want to use your powers very limited, since it gets you exhausted, na no da."

Aya clapped her hands and beamed. "Oh! Oh! How about me?" She closed her eyes and tried to concentrate. Soon enough, she felt two fangs poke the inside of her mouth. She then opened her eyes and tried to locate the symbol. "Where is it?" She whined, pulling up her pant legs, looking over arms, turning her head and… spotting a warm blue glow in the center of her back. "Oh! Cat! Help me here!"

Cat helped pull down her tank top slightly to reveal the kanji…

And Tasuki abruptly bursted out into laughter.

Aya blushed and the kanji quickly faded back. "W-what was it?" She looked at the monk seishi.

He seemed to hesitate. "Hen," he then said. The narrowed look the girl gave let him know that she knew that meaning. "Daaa… I think it might mean as transformation."

"Or tha' she's weird, or a hentai!" Tasuki continued to laugh.

Aya got up and picked up her chair, ready to toss it in the bandit's direction. Tasuki squeaked and ran behind Chichiri. She sighed and set the chair back down. "Why'd I get stuck with the stupid one?" She mumbled.

Cat suppressed her giggle. "I-It's still nice." She tried to help.

Chichiri watched the exchange, keeping a calm smile on his face. However, inside he was disturbed by the blue coloring of Aya's marking. _Taiitsukun will know_, he reassured himself.

"Alright, time ta go!" Tasuki sat up and headed out, followed by the rest of their group. He found Kouji outside, finishing practice, and let him know that he was leaving, letting his best friend take position as leader once again. "If Chichiri 'ere could teleport us there, I think it'd be quicker, though," he replied when the scarred bandit asked how long they'd be gone.

"I can't, na no da." Chichiri answered bluntly. "The demons starting to roam here will be drawn in by my ki, and they could locate Taikyoku-san that way, no da. Better not risk it."

"Demons?" Aya and Cat said quietly to each other. The remark was left alone and they said their farewells to the bandits, away from the stronghold.

"I sure am going to miss Kouji kun." Cat said as walked next to Aya. They were headed towards the stable to borrow a couple of horses for the journey. "I hope he finds someone soon."

Aya wasn't listening much, she was still brooding over the fact that Cat got the good kanji while she got 'Hen'. She had to endure Tasuki's taunting for quite a while and she knew it wouldn't stop after today... _most likely just get worse and worse..._

When they finally did reach the stable, Cat was overjoyed. She went from stall to stall looking at all of the horses. They only kept stallions and mares, no geldings. She then noticed the condition of the stalls and even checked to see how much dust was in the hay. After giving the stables an inspection she began speaking with the barn hands about the proper way of caring for the equine.

Aya on the other hand was looking for a nice and gentle ride. A large white mare soon caught her eyes and she instantly feel in love. "I wanna ride her" She said to Tasuki as he passed by. He gave the horse a quick look and then gave off a 'keh' sound. "Pick watever ya want, its not like I'm ridin it."

Aya gave him a cold stare. _That's what you think..._

Cat and Aya found a wonderful four year old chestnut mare. Cat had been quite found of her once she saw her and fell even more in love when she found her to be extremely sound. She had jumped up as quick as she could onto the horse once she fitted her with a saddle. She took the reigns in hand and smiled while she began walking the horse around for a bit while Aya and Tasuki had another argument.

Chichiri had been thinking quietly to himself the whole time. He was sitting under a large pear tree and pondering what Taiitsukun would say about the two girls. He seemed almost lost in thought as he looked up at the sky... _Something's wrong, no da. _

Cat noticed the pensive seishi and stopped her horse in mid turn. She then rode up slowly towards him, he didn't really notice her since he was so deep in thought. She quickly dismounted and walked right next to him before she said anything. "Chichiri san... are you alright" She asked softly as she looked down at him. She didnt know why, but seeing him like that nearly broke her fragile heart.

Chichiri snapped out of his trance like stage and looked up at the girl. Her eyes looked troubled over something... "Yes I am fine, no da." He said as he gave his ever present smile and stood up. There was something odd about her, the way she acted... but he didn't know what it was. _It could just be that she's from a different world... they both are very... unique. _He thought as he looked down on her, she was a lot shorter than him... "Well I think we had best begin our journey. It will take long to reach to reach Taikyoku san, no da." He then began walking towards Tasuki and Aya.

"Why don't you ride with me? It'll be more comfortable if a guy and girl ride together instead of two big guys" Aya screamed at Tasuki while he began to lose what little self control he had. She had been yelling this same statement over and over for the past ten minutes.

"I said no" Tasuki growled out as he jumped up on his black stallion. What was with this girl? Why was she so persistent!

Aya stomped back to where Cat was already mounted and ready to go. Cat could not have a bigger smile on her face.

"It's your fault 'cause you want to ride yourself," Aya blamed Cat, but she held a bright smile, then leaned forward once she was mounted. "Don' worry, I'll get the guys to take us separately. If it wasn't that we could only have two mounts, 'm sure the guys would rather have separate rides."

Finally after much delay, the group set off. The day lazily went by while they set off at a moderate trot through a heavily wooded area. The girls rode in front, Cat merrily smiling and enjoying the moment, while Aya sulked and wondered why Tasuki had to be such an ass...

At last it was time they stop for the day. Nothing had happened so far. The day composed of just trotting along the deserted forests, nothing else. They had made very good time, and the horses were very tired.

They lay out under the cool shade of a large pear tree while the sun set. Tasuki decided to take a nap while he muttered something about 'hentai girl', Aya, also napping, muttered something about 'red haired jerk'. Chichiri sat a little ways away from the rest of the group taking in the serene environment and nice weather.

Cat stood near the horses, bringing them bowlfuls of fresh cool water with Tama nearby. It was all so calm with a soft breeze rustling the golden leaves on the trees and causing Cat's loose wavy hair to fly into her face. She gave off a tiny laugh as she caught a mouthful.

After tending to the equine she went slightly out of eye sight from the group. She just wanted to be alone for a while. She lay on the soft grass and looked up at the sky. It had begun to change from its cheery blue to the lush shades of amber and violet. Tama softly purred on her stomach as she thought of her mom. How many times had she gone outside to watch the sunset with her? In her old home she had a large lake that reflected the colors of the sunset...

_Mom... brother... Dad... _She thought to herself as she watched the sky turn darker and darker before her brown eyes. _Will I ever get back to you? _She shifted in her position and felt something in her back pocket of her jeans. She then reached and pulled out her cell phone. It would soon run out of batteries... She had been listening to her saved voice messages every night since she'd arrived in Konan... She could hear her mother telling her to call her in the morning, that she loved her and good night. She held the phone to her ear one more time and listened to her mother.

She knew it was a futile attempt, but she tried anyways. She called her home. No service the phone said. She then looked back up at the sky and fell into a deep sleep, cell phone clutched in her left hand on her chest as the moon began to rise.

"Cat?" Aya called softly. She found her friend sleeping, and she poked her cautiously. "Wake up, you," she said softly. She really hated waking someone up. "Hey, Cat," she tried again, this time nudging her harder. "Din-din."

"Mrrf…" Cat muttered darkly, trying to rub the sleep from her eyes. "What time is it?" She called, looking up only to find Aya with a torch and the sky a lot darker than she had remembered. "Oh, I guess I was sleeping too long…"

She returned to camp with her friend, finding a fire with stones built around it and four separate bedrolls spread across the ground. The girls were further away from the fire, given some privacy from the men's' bedrolls.

"Come get your fish, no da," Chichiri called out cheerfully. He held up the traditional "fish-on-a-stick".

The girls hesitated, but sat down and had their meal instead. They were too hungry to care. Aya kept her distance from Tasuki throughout the entire night, she had woken up early from her nap and busied herself with her pack, finding paper and writing when she got really bored. When the bandit woke up as well, she suppressed the urge to start a conversation with him… which would have most likely ended up in another argument. They stayed separate, the girls making small talk and the guys talking about their trip. Once the fish was finished, Chichiri announced that they should head to bed, and they all quickly obeyed.

The next day, the group awoke to more shouting. Aya had mysteriously shifted her entire bedroll just by Tasuki's. The bandit had actually tossed himself half on the short girl, one hand lost in her hair, which had been her pillow for the night. As soon as the morning light struck the sleeping bandit, he was awake.

_The sooner we get there, the sooner we can figure out what these girls are about,_ He told himself. He stretched, and the shout of a female right next to him made him stop dead. That was when he realized that his hand was caught in something.

"Will you fucking let go already?" Aya cried as she tried to pull her hair out, her sleepy eyes still drawn tightly shut.

Tasuki stared at the girl, then yanked his hand back. "What the fuck are you doing again?"

Aya shrieked, and pushed herself closer to the bandit. She would have liked the position, having her head up against him, if it wasn't that she was getting a severe headache. "Leggo, leggo, leggo," she whined.

"You deserve it, hentai!" Tasuki shouted back as he tried to undo the knots that held his hand. It didn't take him long, allowing the girl to keep her hair. He quickly stood up and kicked his pillow away, sitting down on it as the others woke up.

Chichiri woke up to the first shouts. Cat followed after, but it took her a long time to actually get up. She whined, curled up into a ball, then stretched out.

"How can he cause such a fuss so early?" She said, looking over at her friend who was rubbing her scalp. "I thought you would learn by now…"

Aya straightened her hair out a bit more decently. "Hey, this time it wasn't my fault, I swear!" She sniffed, acting hurt at being accused. "The fire was closer over here, an' you know how easily I get cold at night! I kept moving closer… I had no idea where I ended up, honest!"

"Can' play innocent when you've 'ready made yourself a pervert, girl," Tasuki mumbled, picking up some wrapped rolls from his pack for breakfast.

Aya came closer and took one of the rolls away from him, unwrapping it to eat it herself. "Can't really be called a pervert when you're found in the same bed as a gay man. I've heard since the first day you hated women."

"A-Aya!" Cat cried, staring wide-eyed at her friend for her brave words. She saw the twitch in Tasuki's eye.

"Who ya callin' gay?" The bandit roared, jumping up. "I hate women but that doesn' mean 'nything!" He stalked over to the short girl, glaring down at her.

Aya turned around with a mouthful of the roll; she swallowed and smiled at him in a friendly manner. "It's alright," She said calmly. "Most of my friends are either homosexual or bisexual back home. I'm used to it." Her face was suddenly snagged by Tasuki, mouth pressed together. She stared at him in disbelief as he leaned down, as if he were to kiss her. _He wouldn't!_

"T-Tasuki!" Chichiri cried in shock as he stared at the scene. The other two members of their group were still there!

The bandit huffed and shoved her face away, frowning. "Doesn' prove a thing," he mumbled and walked away. Chichiri assessed the scene and then followed his friend, giving the two girls a moment to recuperate.

Once they had their backs turned and were not looking, Aya bent her body forward and pumped her arm and looked proud of herself, giving a silent cheer as she grinned at Cat.

"That was… wrong, Aya." Cat stated, trying to look stern. "He probably really hates you now."

The shorter of the two shrugged, still with a bright smile. "Doesn't matter. He'd have hated me either way. At least I get some fun tormenting the man." It wasn't unusual for Aya to cause trouble for the people she liked. She hated being vulnerable, and teased them as much as possible. Tasuki would be no different, even if he was a special case.

The solemn look Cat gave her ruined her mood. Aya sighed and bowed her head, looking torn. She shrugged her shoulders and began to clean up the campsite, rolling up what they had all slept on last night and packing it onto the horses. Cat began to help after a few minutes.

When the guys returned, Tasuki quickly mounted his stallion, took the reigns and came up beside Aya before she could start to mount their mare. "C'mon," he said gruffly, holding out a hand.

She blinked, stared at the hand, then looked at him. "What?"

"I said c'mon," he repeated. "Are ya deaf? We're never gonna get there if ya keep stallin', Chichiri will take yer friend."

Aya faltered a moment, her mouth dropping open without any words to express. Finally, she shut it. _What the hell. _She took his hand and was swung up, being seated in front of Tasuki. She tried to ignore him behind her as she turned her head to watch Cat, flustered as ever when she found out she was riding with Chichiri.

Cat happily hummed to herself as she tightened the saddle on her horse. She then brought the mares head down and gave her a kiss on the forehead. "Ride well today, kay" She told the horse as she smiled. This was heaven...

But her happy state of being quickly faded when she turned to see Aya riding with Tasuki... _No... don't tell me... _And then she turned to find Chichiri walking towards her, bright and cheery as always... _Aya! HOW COULD YOU! _Cat cursed at Aya in her head as she gave her a fierce glare. Aya was just able to watch this as she rode by her with Tasuki. Aya gave off a weak smile and winked, most likely saying 'have fun'.

But she wasn't going to have anything related to fun. She couldn't even look at Chichiri in the face when she spoke with him, and now she was supposed to ride with him? So close together! Cat stood still, she had her hands resting on the horn of the saddle.

"Do you need some help, no da" Chichiri asked from behind her. She must have looked like a newbie standing like that. Cat quickly composed herself and smiled. "No, it's alright." She then quickly placed her foot in the stirrup and lifted herself, bringing the other leg over.

Aya certainly seemed to be enjoying herself the entire day. Her face held a large smile and she seemed to congratulate herself over and over again for getting to ride with Tasuki. Cat on the other hand was extremely tense. She hadn't spoken a word to Chichiri since he'd asked her if she needed a hand.

_Why can't I just act normally?_ She wondered as she let out a depressed sigh.

"Is your name really Cat, no da" Chichiri asked from behind her. He had been rather bored for the past hour and he was very curious about the girls.

Cat had nearly forgotten where she was, she slowly replied in a soft voice. "Well... my real name is Catalina. Cat's just a nickname..." _That wasn't soo bad._ She thought as she started to perk up a bit. Maybe she could hold a decent conversation with him after all"I really hate my name so I get everyone to call me Cat. I think it's nicer. Of course that doesn't stop my family from calling me Caty, which I cant stand... but...since it's them, it's okay." She smiled softly as she looked ahead. She just couldn't stop thinking about them.

Chichiri sensed her spirits fall slightly when she mentioned her family, she must have been very close to them... _Maybe I should change the subject, no da? _

But he didn't need to, once someone got the ball rolling it was hard to get Cat to shut up. "You know, this place kind of reminds me of my home. I mean, it's a lot more beautiful over here, but its so warm even in the autumn. It's just like Miami... even in the winter I could still go fishing without a jacket, even the ocean breeze wasn't too cold." She started to smile brightly as she thought of the Keys, she'd had so many great moments there.

"You like fishing, no da" Chichiri perked up as he heard her say this. He thoroughly enjoyed fishing.

Cat brightened up even more, she had forgotten that the Seishi enjoyed casting the reel every now and then. "I love it! My dad taught me a few years ago... I'm not that bad either. Do you like to fish, too"

But before Chichiri could respond something rather comical but very terrible happened.

Something small quickly crossed in front of Cat's horse. The mare spooked and wanted to run, as is the instinct of any horse when they feel they're in danger.

She bucked off Chichiri who was caught off guard. Then she continued to buck with all her might, in hopes that Cat would follow too. But Cat had had her experiences with bucking horses and managed to stay on. "Whoa girl" Cat said as the horse continued, finally she set off at a high paced gallop through the dense forest.

"CAT" Aya called after her as she saw her friend quickly vanish into the darkness. But soon after Cat had vanished the same small something spooked the stallion Aya and Tasuki were riding on. The horse bucked off Tasuki , leaving Aya on, and then setting off in the same direction as Cat at a gallop.

Cat knew that trying to pull on the reigns would only make the out of control mare go even faster so she let them go and instead grabbed onto her mane. After five minutes of going at the gallop the mare tripped over a log which she had not been able to clear. She tripped and sent Cat flying onto the floor.

After a minute, she managed to get up. The mare must have high tailed it out of there because she was no where in sight. "Where am I" She asked herself as she slowly got to her feet. Her body felt as though she had been lunging all day... Before she could take a step, though, she caught sight of a little girl. She was slightly shorter than Cat and appeared to be around the age of fifteen. Her hair was almost the same color and type as Cat and even her skin, which was darkened by the sun, resembled hers.

"Hey, are you lost" Cat said sweetly as she walked over to her. The girl's clothes were very thin and torn. She looked as if she had been wandering for quite some time. But before the girl responded her she bolted into the heavy brush. "Hey wait" Cat called after her, but before she could follow she heard a voice.

"Oi, I've found 'er" A gruff male voice said from behind her. Cat spun around to find a man dressed all in black giving her a large frown. "I thought I told ya not ta run off" He said to her as he advanced towards her. He than roughly grabbed her left wrist and began pulling her away.

"Let go of me" Cat said as she fought against the large man. He stood at nearly the height of six feet. He had a large scar down his right cheek and his teeth were very yellow. Without saying anything to her he slapped her across the face with an incredible might. The force was so strong that Cat fell back into a nearby tree. She moaned from the pain as she slid down the tree. What was going on?

"How dare a lil bitch like ya talk back ta me! Afta runnin off" He then grabbed her by the arm and dragged her after him.

"Let go of me, I said" Cat said through a bloody mouth. The man turned around and in a furry grabbed her by the hair and threw her into a carriage which she had not managed to spot before hand.

"Shudup... and if ya open that pretty lil mouf of yars agin..." He grabbed her chin and lifted her face to his. "I'll make ya regret da day you were born." He then shoved her away and began going towards a little village.

Aya meanwhile was experiencing her own problems. She too had finally gotten separated from her horse and she was now limping through the forest.

"Aw crap, where the hell am I" She asked herself as she limped towards what seemed to be a way out of the woods. As soon as she did manage to get out of the woods, though, she came across the carriage which held Cat.

The slave trader made an abrupt stop. _This can't be good. _Aya thought as she saw the man jump out of the carriage. But before either of them could speak, Cat poked her bruised face out.

"Aya" She yelled out as she tried to get out. But before she could another man had pulled her away from the door.

"Cat" _What the hell, there are so many freaking slave traders! _Aya thought as she watched the man approach her.

"So ya know each oder" He said with a sick grin on his face. "I wont hurt er if ya git in the cart too." This was his lucky day, two pretty girls for the price of one.

Aya bit her lip, narrowing her eyes at the dirty man. _If he didn't have Cat hostage, I'd rip his fucking throat out,_ she growled inwardly, but did not dare say anything out loud. There's one thing that can piss her off real quick, other than Tasuki bad-mouthing her. That was someone hurting her friends. "Fine," she said through clenched teeth, giving the man one of her worse looks before jumping into the cart. Just as she expected, she was grabbed and tied down.

"Ah, hell! You assholes don't have a clue what you're fucking doing!" Aya screamed, detesting the idea that her arms would not be free. It earned her a smack. With her sprained ankle, she was tossed beside Cat. "Yo," she tried to sound calm.

Her friend didn't reply, but looked absolutely terrified.

"We hafta hurry now, 'else we gonna be late, Heijyo." One of the men in the back informed the man hurrying to the front of the cart, ready to take off.

_Late?_ Cat and Aya both had the same thought, and their eyes widened in fright.

"Ya think either of these lil girlies will fetch a good price?" Another man, with less of a rougher accent, asked his partner. He was holding a dagger, using it in a threatening manner towards the two otherworlders. His eyes trailed their bodies in a lewd fashion.

"Pro'ly not ta one wit' ta mouth," The first man replied.

The rest of the ride went by relatively silent, and Cat prayed that the seishi would find them soon. She knew that Chichiri must be looking for them at the moment, and should be able to sense where they were. Closing her eyes, she imagined the monk in her mind. _Please! Get here in time!_

When the cart came to a stop, the girls were snagged by the rope attached to their wrists and pulled out of the cart. They came upon a large hut that looked about to fall in upon itself. The smell of booze and urine hung around the place, and they knew that it wouldn't be a happy experience inside.

When they entered, their fears were revealed.

"Sold!" An Auctioneer said at the wooden podium at the front of the crowd. There were men from all types crowded in that room, tables surrounding the sides littered with sake. Some men cheered in one corner and one moved forward to claim his prize. A tall girl bowed her head in defeat, unable to watch as the man passed over a bag of coins and took her ropes away from the auctioneer.

"N-no way," Aya gasped. Her face grew pale at the sight. The smell alone made her nauseous, but the very idea of being brought in front of all these barbarians and… "Auctioned? You're gonna fucking auction us?" She shouted at the top of her lungs.

Everyone in the room turned to them, just in time to see one of Heijyo's men punch Aya across the face. The girl, however, wouldn't take anymore. She snagged the fist in her mouth, fangs transformed, and bit down. HARD.

The man yelled and kicked her in the gut in response, glad to see her drop to the ground and release his hand.

"Aya!" Cat cried, but she was pulled away before she could help her friend.

"Heijyo, you're right on time! I hope you have someone better for us…" The auctioneer eyed the wild girl suffering from the kick on the floor. His eyes traveled to Cat, the tanned girl earning a really perverted smirk. "Men! Tonight we have an exotic girl for you all!" He took the ropes from the man and made sure he pulled Cat up to her full height. "Let's start at 10 mon!"

"30!" A middle-aged balding man said from the front.

And the auction started. Aya was pulled up, weakened from the blow, and brought to the front of the room. Cat and herself were the last two up for that night. She already had one eye slightly closed from a large bruise forming. The auction was escalating in a battle between two men.

"One silver ryo!" A man finally shouted, and the room died into silence.

"Sold!" The front called out, and the man came to take himself a Cat.

As he passed by, Aya growled, but did not have much the energy to do anything else. Their safety was more important, but she still would hate to see her friend sold to such a person. Her eyes watched him carefully, even when she was pushed up front. The room was still silent.

"Um… Let's start this girl at 2 mon." The auctioneer began, glancing around the quiet room. "She might have a mouth and might be a handful, but many find that sort of girl arousing. Are there any takers? How about 1 mon?"

Someone up front coughed and rose his hand. "Alright! That's one mon… Any other bids?"

Meanwhile, just a few minutes before, the two seishi were just entering the edge of a village, not in the best condition.

"Stupid horses! That's why I hate 'em!" Tasuki cursed his stallion, which they had found not far back. As for the mare, she was still missing. "Where the fuck did they get to now?"

"Calm down, na no da." Chichiri held the reigns of the horse, afraid that his friend will do something if he were in charge. "They are here somewhere, and their ki are troubled. They must have been hurt, no da."

"Knowin' 'em, they prob'ly have caused a scene an' were captured. They'd kill 'nyone 'fore they're scratched." The bandit was looking around anxiously, just waiting to find the brunette chasing someone and her black-haired girl trying to calm her. His eyes spotted the run-down hut. "Huh… 'm gonna look over there," he said, heading that way.

Chichiri did not follow. "I believe they were separated, no da. I'll go get the other one." And he left in a separate direction.

Tasuki walked into the hut, where from afar he sensed trouble, and came upon a sight that he will never be able to sort into his mind. It was confusing, frightening, comical, and… damn strange.

"…one mon. Any other bids?" The announcer shouted to the quiet audience, waiting for any takers.

Tasuki blanched when he saw what was up for auction: Aya, bruised and leaning heavily on one side in pain. He was about to jump up there and save the day, when he witnessed the strangest thing ever. He wasn't the only one in that room that was taken by surprise.

"One fucking mon? I don't even go up in price but I even drop down to the lowest bid?" Aya stood straight, even though she winced in pain, and tried to push ahead, closer to the crowd. "You fucking cowards! I'm not worth that little! C'mon! You can't fucking be serious! Anyone asking for a silver ryo? 80 mon? _10 mon!_"

Tasuki's mouth dried out. _That bitch is going to dig herself an early grave._ He then raised his arm, half-hidden in the crowd of men. "Alright, five mon!" He said, loud and clear.

Aya blinked, and tried to find the owner of the hand. She spotted the red-hair, and it didn't take a moment for her to snap. "You asshole, y-" She didn't get anymore out as a man grabbed her ropes and pulled her back, causing her to fall to the ground and hurt her ankle once again.

The auctioneer stared in confusion, then finally picked up where he left off. "Y-yah. Five, then. Do I hear any other bids?"

"Ten mon!" Someone from the far back called out.

Tasuki sent the short man that tried to outbid him a glare, pushed past some thugs in front of him to get closer to the front, and called out again, "Fifteen!"

"Twenty!"

Tasuki grew irritated. "Twenty-fuckin'-five mon! I thin' that's 'nough already!"

There was a silence. "Alright? Going once…" The front was about to close the deal when—

"Fifty!"

A pause. A longer silence… And then, Tasuki stopped his forward momentum. "Ah, fuck it. Only an idiot would pay that much for that one," he dropped his arm.

"Sold!"

"I'll fucking kill you when I'm out of here, Tasuki!" Aya screamed at the top of her lungs.

"Didn' say a thing 'bout not savin' your ass," he said. He already saw that his seishi name drew in looks from all around him. He pulled out his trusty tesson. "Rekka shinen!" He shouted, making his way through the men.

In moments the slave traders were charred and Tasuki was outside with Aya, still in ropes.

"They should'a known they didn' have a chance 'gainst me." Tasuki sheathed his diamond fan proudly, and then turned to cut the bindings on Aya. The girl was shaking, and he felt just a quick pang of guilt for what he had done. "You're not cryin' now, are ya?" He had a weakness against women crying.

"I'm… I'm…" Aya tried to get out through her teeth. As soon as Tasuki leaned forward to listen to her better, she turned her head and fastened her glowing eyes at him. "I'm fucking pissed!"

Tasuki leapt back and brandished his tessen once again. "Oi! I saved your damn life!"

Aya, red with rage, was going to reply when she suddenly felt her sight go black. She heard Tasuki's concerned voice but was not able to do a thing about it. _I'll hurt him when I'm awake,_ she was about to think right before she fainted.

"Ah, shit," Tasuki cursed at himself. He caught Aya right before she hit the ground. He should have known the beating and the stress would have had this effect on her. Luckily, she was light as he carried her off in search of the other pair.

Chichiri was having just a bit more trouble finding Cat. He began to grow anxious, sensing that he had to find the girl as fast as possible.

While the auction for Aya was taking place, Cat was forcefully being lead away from the hut and down a dark alley. She struggled until the man turned around and grabbed her by her shirts collar.

"If ya don stop that I'm gonna have ta do somein yer not gonna like."

He seemed to be around the age of forty and already had thinning gray hair. His face had many scars and was wrinkled. Cat behaved the rest of the way, turning every now and then to see if she could spot Tasuki or Chichiri with Aya. But no one was every there...

_Maybe they won't come this time... _

Finally they arrived at a rather nice looking house that was separated from the rest of the village. She was lead inside and taken to a small room that was filled with a great assortment of women. They ranged from young to old, skinny to plump.

"Alrig, luv." The man said as he took off the ropes from Cat's wrists and shoved her into the room.

"We'll come an git ya when its time." He then smiled wickedly and shut the door.

Cat slowly looked around the room and found that everyone was staring at her. Finally a tall and thin woman of about thirty made her way up to her. She towered over Cat as she spoke.

"She must be for the boss... How much were you worth" She asked her while the other girls began coming closer in order to inspect Cat.

They grabbed her hair and smelled it, examined her skin and looked into her eyes. Cat felt as if she was up for auction again.

please stop." Cat said as she got free from their prying hands. The woman who had initiated the examination gave out a hardy laugh.

"If you can't even get used to us looking at you, how are you going to handle the boss" She asked Cat as she took a few steps forward.

"Besides... you do look funny. What with that weird clothes and all..." The rest of the girls agreed. They all wore rather elegant yukata and some even wore expensive kimonos.

Right after this the man who had led her to this damned place came back in. He didn't say anything; all he did was grab Cat by the arm and dragged her out. She knew what was coming... how could this possibly be any good? This was Konan; rape was the norm for girls.

_Chichiri... where are you? _She thought to herself while she was lead to a large and extravagant room. The man then pushed her inside"Have fun, sir" He said in a perverted voice and then closed the double doors.

Cat tried to grabbed hold of the door knob and tried to open it... but of course it was locked... She then felt someone place their arms around her waist. _Oh no!_ Cat screamed in her mind while she stood paralyzed.

"There's no way out." A deep voice said in her ear.

Cat's heart beat as fast as it could possibly go without giving her a heart attack. She didn't know what to do. She didn't have any strength like Aya or the Seishi... all she could do was help others. She couldn't even heal her own wounds.

Before she could even say anything the man had already thrown her onto a very large bed. She was about to jump off when she found herself face to face with him. He was very handsome, around the age of twenty-five with black hair and green eyes. He was already dressed for the occasion... wearing only a robe. He leaned towards her and tried to kiss her but before he could Cat had squirmed her way from under him. She was half way towards the door when he tackled her to the floor.

_Why did I have to be born a girl! _She screamed in her mind as she felt the heavy weight of the tall man on her. She tried to get away from him but before she knew it she was in his arms again.

"I enjoy a fight..." He said wickedly as he stared into her terrified eyes.

_Damn I knew I should have bought that pepper spray! _Cat then began to fight back as best as she could, throwing her arms around wildly and kicking. But this only made the man laugh and become even more intrigued. It was all useless. He easily held her down, strong hands on her wrists and then he began to have his 'fun'.

Before he could go too far though, the door swung open. Both Cat and the man looked up to see who it was.

"C-Chichiri san" Cat cried out in joy. _Thank God! _She tried to get the man off of her but instead he grabbed her and drew out a rather large knife. He held it to her neck and smiled wickedly.

Chichiri stood still, he didn't want to risk the girls life. He had easily defeated the bandits that guarded the entrance but now he wasn't sure of what to do. Before he said anything, though, he found that he was surrounded by a group of men. They all held a weapon of some sort and did not look too pleased that he had made it all the way to the chamber of their master.

"Get out of here and I'll spare your life. I already bought her, she's mine" He stared at the monk with his eyes full of rage.

"Go find another one." The man who held Cat said fiercely. The knife made its way closer and closer to her neck until it finally grazed her skin at the last remark he made. A tiny stream of crimson blood trickled down her neck as she let out a small cry.

Chichiri knew that even if he stayed calm, things were going to get bad quick. So he began to concentrate all his ki on the bandit leader... causing him to be paralyzed. The knife dropped from his hand and Cat was then able to get free from his strong grip.

After this everything ended quickly. The men didn't have a chance against the Seishi. His main strength lay in his magical abilities, but he was still physically strong. His attention soon turned towards the girl who was kneeling on the floor, motionless. She was very pale and her eyes were filled with tears.

But before he could say anything to her she to her feet and softly said"Thank you, Chichiri san... I-I'm sor..." She couldn't finish. She began to fall to the ground, the last thing she remembered was someone calling out her name in concern.

When Cat awoke, some twenty minutes later, she found herself in Chichiri's arms. He carefully carried her as he walked towards Tasuki who held an unconscious Aya. Cat also found that a piece of cloth had been placed as a makeshift bandage around her neck to cover the cut she had received.

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So, Cat, I guess I kind of let ya down. Sorry 'bout that. I was surprised to see a new chapter posted! So here's another from me . . .

Hope your Holidays suck like mine always do... or rather, jus' like every other cursed day. (As if anyone reads here )

Aya, out.


	5. Chapter 5

Cat: Yay we got reviews!!! Thanks so much everyone from Aya and myself!!!

We'll try our very best to update at a nice pace and make this fic enjoyable. Well here goes chapter five, I hope you all enjoy it!

Disclaimer:

Watase Yuu owns all of Fushigi Yuugi, no 'if's', 'and's', or 'but's' about it.

Aya and Cat own their characters and all the stuff they come up with along the way.

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**Chapter 5**

Aya kept true to her word the next day when she finally woke up.

When the girl really found a perfect rest after exhausting herself, she took advantage of it. Even though she was a light sleeper, she still slept through the ordeal after the seishi reunited the two girls. Cat was still weak, and she was kept from healing her friend. She also slept afterwards, but was awake that morning and was once again riding up front with Chichiri.

Aya, however, was draped across Tasuki's lap while he rode their horse slowly through the path. The first thing she saw when she opened her eyes was his set face and glare that were focused on the road ahead.

That had been enough to set her memories back… Her arm, lightening quick, snapped out and her fist caught Tasuki's chin: a direct punch. Tasuki reacted instantly, he pulled the reins before the horse could freak out again, grabbed his face, and began to let out a stream of curses.

Once it faded, his fiery eyes glared down at Aya. "Remind me what the fuck that was for!?"

Chichiri and Cat stopped the mare and began to head back as soon as they heard Tasuki's shouts. "Sounds like your friend is awake, no da," the monk sighed.

Cat merely blushed in embarrassment at her friend's actions. _Why can't she just get along!?_

"That was for the auction, you jerk! And why the hell am I like this?" She tried to push away from the bandit, but soon realized that she was sore from her attacks the day before. She groaned in response, trying to hide her pain.

"Aya, stop! You're still hurt!" Cat cried from where she was. She tried to get closer to heal her, but Chichiri stopped her. "I've got to help her out, now that she is awake. I'm fine!"

"Let us wait a bit more, no da," Chichiri said sternly. "You had quite a shock yesterday, and it's better for you to rest your body. Especially after so much healing days earlier, no da!"

Cat protested, but was cut off.

"Don't worry," Aya said, smiling. "I'm alright. Doesn't hurt a bit."

Tasuki snorted at that. "Sure it doesn'," he muttered and tapped her swollen ankle. She yelped in reply. "Ya see! Now stay still. If ya try 'nything 'gain, I'll drop ya an' let ya walk the rest of the way, even like that." He nodded to Chichiri and they both started on their way again, even with Aya muttering darkly from her place.

Cat looked back occasionally to make sure that Aya was indeed alright. She used this to keep her mind off the monk that sat right behind her. "Chichiri-san, let me heal her. We will move faster if I could… I will be fine, and it's completely my fault that she got hurt! I should be respon--"

"No, it's not your fault," the seishi behind her cut her off. "We should have been able to protect you two better, no da. You shouldn't have gone through what you did, no da. I'm sorry." The monk's smile faded, but then he glanced down at the girl with a reassuring look. "Once I feel like you've gained enough energy, I'll let you heal her. For now, let Tasuki deal with Aya, no da." The last he added with a high pitched voice and a worried look towards the silent pair.

They traveled the rest of the way, the girls randomly humming every so often, Aya driving Tasuki to the limit of his patience… even thought she barely said a word or two to him.

"You're going to go bald prematurely if you keep this kind of stress up," Aya muttered at one point when he was telling her that her whistling was driving him insane.

"An' who's fault is it!?" Tasuki glared down at her. He expected her to bite back, but she merely stuck out her tongue at him and then stared back at the passing scenery.

A few hours later, the sun was beginning to cast a reddish glow as it descended. The seishi decided it was time to camp out, so they had let down their passengers and began to unpack the horses.

"Aya, hold still," Cat whined as she tried to keep the shorter girl down. Her friend had allowed Tasuki to gently bring her down from the horse, but afterwards she was too flustered to be around anyone. She tried to go off on her own, in one of her darker moods, but Cat would not allow it.

"Let me go," Aya muttered. "I think it'd be nice to have this pain than not. At least it'd keep me distracted." She moved away, but her friend still tried to latch onto her arm and drag her down. "C'mon, Cat! I want to be alone for a bit."

Cat glared at her. "_After_ I heal you," she said in her best motherly tone. After a brief struggle, she got the other girl down and she healed her quickly. "There," she huffed. "Feeling better?"

Aya tested her leg out with a disgusted look. "Unfortunately." She then stood up and caught Tasuki looking their way. She narrowed her eyes, turned around, and walked a bit aways from the group.

Cat stared after her but decided to give Aya her space. Chichiri then came up beside her, holding out a hand. She tried not to blush and took it. "Thanks."

"Are you feeling alright, no da?" His face trailed after the recently-healed Aya. "I hope it wasn't too much for you."

She gave a bright smile and looked up at the smiling monk. "I'm just fine. I might feel a bit tired, but nothing more!" She stretched her arms upwards. "By morning I'll be in perfect condition."

He continued to smile down at her, as if trying to read past her face, but then nodded. "Great, no da! After a minute, I'm sure Aya will come back. She seems a bit angry, no da."

"She's… " But Cat trailed off, not really understanding the current mood of her friend. She should have been ecstatic to have Tasuki helping her. The red-haired man in question was starting the fire.

"How about we fish, no da?" Chichiri offered, seeing that the girl trailed off and began to wander in her mind.

Cat brightened up at the idea and bobbed her head happily. "Sure!"

The two headed off in the direction of the flowing river. Chichiri took the only two rods they had with them, found a good place upon a flat rock, and took a seat. He patted the ground beside him for Cat.

The girl hesitated, but having been offered it was not entirely too hard to refuse. She sat down and took a fishing rod, happy to be around him in silent companionship.

As for Tasuki, he was left to deal with the rest of the camp. He watched Chichiri and Cat from afar, then glanced around for Aya. He knew she went off on her own, and a part of him tingled with danger. Anywhere that girl went off alone was bad. She had been around for only a week and already his thoughts were constantly on her. Not to get the wrong idea, he just knew that Cat was responsible enough not to cause a disaster. The last thing he needed was a dead otherworldly girl to be on his conscious for life.

After undoing the last bedroll, he made sure the horses were fine and grazing before setting off in the direction he saw the short girl go. He spotted her long before he was close by. She was sitting against a large tree, staring up at the sky. Her eyes were unfocused, but open nonetheless. Tasuki almost thought she had fallen asleep with her eyes open until she shifted, bringing her legs up and rested her head against them with an audible sigh.

Pushing aside his pride, the red-haired bandit approached.

Aya heard him, and knew that it was Tasuki, but refused to even twitch. _If he asks if I'm alright, I'm gonna throw something at him._ She thought to herself, clearly not in the mood for any confrontation. She tensed when she heard his footsteps halt.

"We're havin' fish for dinner 'gain," Tasuki commented as he leaned up against the side of the same tree she was sitting under.

Aya lifted her head and blinked up at him. He was not looking at her, but rather back towards the camp. She followed his gaze and was able to see two figures sitting at the bank of the river. A slow smile appeared on her face. _Dammit, there goes my mood_. Although she started to feel a bit better, Aya was still not speaking.

Tasuki had no clue what else to say. Instead, he waited there until the fish were caught and then joined in gutting the fish for dinner with his fellow warrior.

That night, dinner was passed around but did not satisfy the hunger that Aya or Cat felt. They were already homesick and starting to tire of the same meals. Tama was given his own meal, then stole some of the girls' portion as well when they decided they'd had enough.

Night came and everyone laid down in their bedrolls, taking to sleep. With everyone still awake, Aya shifted her own position closer towards the fire, this time in the opposite direction that Tasuki had set up his bed. Even with the heat, sleep didn't come easy.

The next day, Cat and Aya took off with the mare, together once again. They started at an easy trot, then they picked up speed towards midday after a break. They intended to reach Taikyokusan in two more days.

"You seem to be in a better mood," Cat said when they had returned to a slow pace, letting their mounts rest. The girls were well ahead of the men, so that they couldn't be heard. "You know, I was wondering," she continued when Aya did not respond. "How are we going to get home? I mean… can we even get home?"

Aya shrugged her shoulder, even if her friend could not see. "I have no idea." She was not that articulate that day.

Cat sighed. "I really miss my family. We were supposed to be in Miami by now…"

At that, Aya perked up. "Cat, I'm really bad with remembering the days, but is it your birthday today?"

The other girl stayed silent, calculating in her mind. "I think it's tomorrow, if we were still back home. Are the dates still the same over here?"

Aya perked up a bit more, trying to push out of her depression. "Maybe… maybe if we can dress Chiri up in a nice red bow." _And nothing more,_ she added to herself with an audible cackle.

Cat picked up on the intonation, and she blushed. "A-Aya," she whined, keeping her voice just as low. She prayed to everything that the guy in question did not have excellent hearing.

Luckily for her, said seishi was unable to hear a word. He bickered with Tasuki a bit over the girls and their purpose in the world, then had a serious conversation over the disasters striking their country.

"Rumors say that Kutou has also faced some demonic problems, no da. Whatever it is, it is not a neighboring country attacking us." His face grew serious. "Taiitsukun suspects they are searching for stronger sources to leech off of. Although Taikyoku san cannot be seen with those wicked of heart, the source of these demons still might be able to penetrate through to Taiitsukun."

"An' ya think these chicks have somethin' that could help 'gainst 'em?" Tasuki frowned, looking at the girls. Aya was getting her lively color back, teasing her friend who looked a bit redder than usual.

"It could explain the kanji and powers, no da," Chichiri finished.

The rest of the way was spent trotting along until they made camp once again.

Cat laid out the bed rolls neatly while Aya helped Tasuki make the fire. Chichiri had wandered off somewhere, and it didn't seem like he'd return anytime soon. Cat had found her mind thinking more and more of him with every passing day, but she knew that if she even gave off a small hint about how she felt, that Chichiri would shun her. So she had to be content with just being near him. But it was hard at times... _I need to learn to control myself. _

After the group had finished a small meal which included bread and large pieces of dried meat (which Cat refused with a passion), they all started to get ready for bed. During the night, they all slept very peacefully; nothing was wrong.

But at around three in the morning Cat found herself awake. She was shaking and had had a horrible and realistic dream. She saw the face of her attacker hovering over her, but this time Chichiri had not come to rescue her. Before things got too visual though, she had awakened.

She sat up in her bed and found that Aya had moved closer to the fire, leaving Cat all alone in the darker area. She watched over Tasuki as he slept, his arms and legs in a twisted manner, and he seemed to be dreaming of something very entertaining since he wore a large smile. Her eyes then wandered over to Chichiri's bed... but he wasn't there.

She slowly got up and got dressed, she knew she wouldn't be able to get to bed again. Cat had a nasty tendency of wandering and she could never follow rules which required her to stay in one place under someone's watch. So she walked a little ways away from the group and sat down, listening to her CD player. She placed the volume as loud as she could and listened to her burned copy of her favorite songs. She listened and became more and more depressed as the play list went on and on, they mostly dealt with romantic love... The one emotion she had never felt...

Aya was also having trouble sleeping. She dreamt that a big hairy spider was crawling under her sheets. But it was actually true. When she felt something move softly over her leg, she quickly woke up and saw it... A spider. She had kicked off her blanket, and the spider had decided to climb up on her bare legs. She began to scream at the top of her lungs. She went into a blind panic: getting out of the bed as quickly as she could and running towards the first thing she saw. This just happened to be Tasuki who had quickly gotten to his feet when he heard the screams. He had his tessen in hand, and was expecting a group of men or a snake, but not Aya to jump onto him. "KILL IT!!!" She screamed as she began to go white, and leapt onto him as if her life depended on it. She tried to get a good grip on his shoulders, digging in and getting as high up as she possibly could.

"Git off of me woman!!" Tasuki screamed as he panicked. He really had not expected this.

Cat ran back to the camp site and found Tasuki trying to get Aya off of him. But it didn't seem to be much use. Cat had a feeling she knew what was bothering her friend. She recalled her worse fear was spiders. So she went over to her bed and saw a rather ugly brown and hairy arachnid crawling around. She quickly stepped on and turned towards the pair. "Don't worry, its dead." She announced with a small smile while she saw Aya finally let go of Tasuki and fall to the ground.

"Damn spiders!!" She began to say as the color started to go back to her pale face. However, she had not stopped shaking. She still kept close to Tasuki, for fear that the creature will return to life. "You sure it's dead?"

"It's dead," her friend replied calmly, kicking away at the deformed spider, making sure it was far from their campsite. "See?"

Chichiri was caught in the edge of their campsite, his face trying to suppress his humor.

Aya sniffed, trying to hide her own tears. She shook a few times, trying to calm herself down.

"It was jus' a spider," Tasuki hissed, although it came out muddled when he forced it out between a wide yawn. "Sounded like ya had somethin' stuck in ya. Thought ya were dyin' there for a moment."

Cat did a quick scan of the beds, making sure to kick up at fallen leaves and branches. "Seems it's all clear, Aya. You want to go back to sleep?"

The shorter girl wrapped her arms around herself. "No, I'm awake now. No need." She sent a teary glare over her shoulder at Tasuki. "And it's nice to know what you thought… Sure you'd be happy to get rid of me that easily." She stomped her way away from the fire and Tasuki, before he had time to reply. She went towards the other end of the campsite, closer to where Chichiri was.

"Are you alright now, na no da?" He asked, looking down at Aya, who merely nodded in reply. "Don't let Tasuki get to you. I'm sure he cares about what happens to you, no da." His ever-present smile was contagious.

Aya's own lips twitched upwards, testing the foreign movement. "Thanks," she said hoarsely, probably from screaming.

The monk nodded and went back towards the others, helping Cat look for any more signs of spiders. Once it was clear, he glanced at the dark-haired girl that was a puzzle to him (Aya was simple to understand: very similar to his seishi partner). "Did you have trouble sleeping?" He asked her when she returned to sit on her bedroll.

"Um, no, none at all." She said 'cheerfully'. But she sensed that the Seishi was not convinced. She could have even sworn she saw him frown for a second...

"Its just that I... had to... well I just wasn't very tired I guess." _I'm just like you, Chichiri... I'm always smiling but deep down... _She thought this as she got back into her bedroll.

"Well I guess I should get in a few more minutes of sleep... I have a feeling today's going to be a very interesting experience." She then gave a quick glance at Tasuki who was already settled into his bed but still muttering to himself, and Aya who was trying to sleep but kept looking over her blankets with a paranoid expression.

She then turned back to the Seishi who was still observing her. She was used to the examining look he gave her, many people had tried to understand her, but she just wouldn't let anyone in. She was too afraid of getting hurt.

"Good night, Chichiri san." She said in a cheerful voice as she brought the covers over herself and closed her eyes. Signaling the conversation was over.

They all set off again bright and early in the morning. The girls together as before and the Seishi following close behind. Aya's head kept going forward as she fell asleep, hitting Cat. Cat was also very tired, along with Tasuki. The only person that seemed to be well rested was Chichiri. He was still pondering the previous night's event while he watched the two girls.

Finally in the mid afternoon, the most terrible thing that could possibly happen to Cat occurred. "HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!" Aya cheerfully screamed out as she stood next to a very shocked Cat.

"T-thank you!" Cat said as she looked up at her friend. She had been getting the fire started for lunch and had not expected this at all..._ Oh God, please don't let them have heard her... _

But of course they had. Tasuki didn't really care too much, and he muttered a 'happy birthday' while he continued to busy himself with something the horse had managed to get stuck in its hoof. Chichiri on the other hand happily congratulated her.

"Happy birthday, no da!" Cat nearly died from embarrassment, she wasn't used to all this attention.... at least from someone she liked.

"Thank you Chichiri san." She said softly. Aya then continued in her loud voice.

"Now we're the same age, no need for me to feel old anymore!" She smirked while she watched Cat go as red as anything. She had been hoping to get Chichiri to congratulate her.

"So how old are you, no da?" He asked casually.

"Nineteen." She said with a small smile. Tasuki dropped a small bag he had been carrying and Chichiri was very shocked.

"Yer nineteen?" Tasuki asked in disbelief. He would have bet everything on her being no older than fifteen.

"Yes. And Aya is fifteen days older than me." Cat said with a bright and cheery smile. She was used to being taken for a fifteen year old.

"She's older den you?!" Tasuki nearly went insane. How could Aya, the more irresponsible of the two, be older?!

Aya didn't say anything, she knew what Gen chan was thinking. She simply went up to him and began to yell in his face. "What do you mean by that?! Jackass!" Aya stood on her tip-toes, all five feet of her, and tried to glare him down. "You thought I was a fucking brat, didn't you?!"

"Well, it's not fuckin' obvious! Ya jus' a runt compared to all the other girls!" Tasuki backed up and held his tessen in defense. "An' ya can't possibly be nineteen! Ya don' act like it!"

Aya wrinkled her nose and flicked him off. "That makes two of us," she hissed out before turning around and joining Cat at the other end.

The group had finally reached the foot of the mountain, it was already dark and the moon was slowly climbing up the night sky. They had to leave their horses and begin to hike up on foot. The girls weren't looking forward to doing this. Cat kept trying to cheer up a disgruntled Aya during the trek.

"I think you look like an adult." Cat said with a big smile on her face. But Aya's only reply was a disbelieving 'keh'.

The Seishi walked rather far ahead of the two girls, Tasuki was walking rather quickly. He was excited that they'd finally find out how to get rid of the weird girls. Chichiri knew his friend was not at all happy at the fact that the girls were still with them, but he knew that it was necessary.

_The Gods would not just throw two girls from another world into ours without a reason... They must have a purpose..._

Right as he finished thinking this it began to rain. It was a heavy down pour in the matter of a few seconds. The mountain terrain began to get muddy and it made it extremely difficult to climb. Cat and Aya constantly slipped as they trudged onwards. They were soaked to the bone and it didn't help that there was a harsh cold wind blowing on them.

Tasuki was in the lead while Chichiri followed rather closely then came Aya who was still rather separated from the Seishi and lastly was Cat. She was always the last one when there was a group. She was known as the one who always caused the group to make slow time where ever she went.

_Guess it's no different in this world. Whoa shit! _She thought as she slipped on muddy rocks and fell face first onto the ground. _Great... I'm such a loser. _She thought as she got to her feet.

She had managed to cut her forearms on the various speared shaped rocks that had just happened to be their, waiting for her to fall on them. She got off the blood as best as she could before anyone noticed. Thankfully with the noise the rain was creating, no one did. She picked up her pace and was right behind Aya when she noticed that the Seishi were talking to each other and were not moving forward.

"The rain is getting even worse, no da!" Chichiri yelled above the storm. His face held concern. If they stayed out much longer, someone was bound to get very sick.

Tasuki gave a quick look back at the girls, who had surprisingly not complained at their having to walk in these conditions. Aya and Cat held determined faces; they seemed to be thinking that they could endure walking on if they must.

Before Tasuki could answer his friend and tell him that they could keep going on a bit more, a large lightning bolt struck the area in between the Seishi and the girls. Cat and Aya jumped back since the bolt had caused rocks to fly up and pelt down on them. Without saying anything else to Tasuki, Chichiri ran on ahead to find shelter. It was far too dangerous to continue the journey.

"Follow me, no da!" He cried out as he ran forward. He recalled a tiny cave he had used as shelter before when he had been training. It shouldn't be to far ahead from where they were.

Finally they all managed to cram into the small cave. After Aya had dropped her load she slumped down to the ground next to Tasuki who was trying to make a fire with soggy firewood.

"Damn, tis aint gonna work." He said as he watched the wood. Chichiri was trying to think of another way of starting a fire while he sat next to the entrance looking out into the thunderstorm.

Cat, feeling useless, started to rummage through her bag. She finally came across her chemistry textbook which was still dry since she had wrapped it in her towel and left it at the very bottom of her bag. She took it out and walked towards Tasuki. She kneeled down next to him and began to rip out pages and made a rather large pile.

"It might not last very long, but it's better than nothing." She said with a smile as she her body trembled from the bitter cold. She still wore her wet clothes as did everyone else. Without saying a word, Tasuki used his Tessen and set the pages ablaze. Cat winced as she watched her $110 textbook burn before her very eyes.

_Oh well... at least we'll be warm_. She tried to console herself as the pages withered.

Aya and Cat had already changed into slightly drier clothing as had the Seishi. They all sat around the fire, throwing in an occasional chemistry page to keep it going.

Everyone was quiet.

The time finally came to head off to bed. The bed rolls were laid out near the fire. They slept in a row, Tasuki then Cat, Chichiri and Aya. Tasuki was glad that Aya was as far away from him as possible, he knew that Cat would give him no trouble.

Aya fumed when she saw that Cat got to sleep in between Chichiri and her Tasuki..._ She'd better not try anything... _But she was just letting off steam. She knew Cat would never do anything like that on purpose.

Finally they all fell into a deep sleep. Even though the fire was still going, Cat was shivering while she slept. She unconsciously moved closer and closer to Tasuki until she was right next to him. Gen chan felt someone next to him. He figured it was Aya since he knew the girl enjoyed to share the same area as him.

"Oi, can ya jus give it a res tonite?" He asked in an irritated voice as he opened his eyes. He was expecting to find the brunette laying next to him was a large smile. But instead he found a shivering Cat. After rubbing his eyes to make sure he wasn't mistaken, he pushed the girl away gently towards Chichiri.

The blue haired Seishi was in a deep and peaceful sleep. He was dreaming of Koran. He let out a soft smile as his dream played out in his head. She was so beautiful and kind. Her smile beamed up at him and made his troubled mind be at ease. He felt a warm feeling around him. He had no idea that the warmth was coming from Cat who had now snuggled up against him.

Chichiri turned slightly towards her and embraced her. In his dream he was embracing his beloved Koran. He felt at peace... but after only a few minutes of this a distant crack of thunder awoke him. He opened his eyes and found Cat peacefully breathing next to him.

His facial expression changed in a second. What had been a blissful Chichiri was now a cold man.

She was half frozen but still wore a soft smile on her gentle face. Chichiri carefully pushed her away and got to his feet. The sun and still not risen, but he knew the storm would be ending soon. He needed to distance himself from her, in order to think and settle his thoughts. For some reason he had felt happiness while he held her in his arms... but it was only because he was thinking of Koran.

_The sooner we help the girls get home, the better for everyone..._

At that very moment Cat stirred in her sleep. She had felt the comforting warmth that had embraced her gone. She slowly opened her sleepy eyes and saw that she was lying on Chichiri's mat.

At first she didn't understand it, but she soon came to realize what a horrible thing this was. She quickly moved to her own mat and was as pale as the moon outside. _Oh God, now Chichiri san is going to think I'm some sort of a pervert! _She then realized that Chichiri was walking towards the entrance of the cave. He seemed different somehow. Even though she couldn't see his face, she knew something was troubling him...

"Chichiri san, is something wrong?" She asked as she got to her feet and walked towards him. But before she reached him, he had set out. He walked out into the rainy night and disappeared. Cat stood at the entrance, the soft cackling of the dying fire was the only sound in the cave, both Aya and Tasuki were peacefully asleep.

"Chichiri san..." She said softly to herself. What had happened to him? She wasn't sure if she had done something wrong, she had been on his mat when she awoke, but he was gone... maybe she had rolled onto it after he'd left? She stared off into the darkness with a sad look in her eyes, he hadn't even acknowledged her.

After two hours, Aya and Gen Chan had finally risen from their deep slumber. They found that the rain had finally ceased and they seemed to be in good spirits. Tasuki's thoughts dwelt on being able to get the girls out of his life, while Aya smiled to herself, replaying the dream she had had that night. It involved a very drunk Tasuki with little clothes on lying next to her and saying something along the lines of 'I'm a man too...'.

Cat on the other hand sat close to the entrance, worrying about Chichiri. He hadn't come back yet. Finally when it was time to set out once again, Chichiri reappeared. He was damp and he seemed to be in a very solitary mood. He walked in quickly past Cat who was about to say 'good morning' and went directly towards Tasuki.

They set out shortly after. Aya had been interrogating Cat about why she looked so depressed, but all that Cat told her was that she was still sad over the loss of her chemistry book.

"It was $110... and now its nothing more than ash..." But Aya knew her better; this was not over something material.

She had noticed that Chichiri was not his usual cheery self. Instead he walked apart from the group, he turned around every once in a while to speak to Tasuki, but he never looked back at the girls. Before Aya could ask Cat if she had noticed this change too Chichiri stumbled and fell onto the ground. This was very unlike him, he usually had graceful movements..

Cat ran towards him without thinking while Aya and Tasuki did the same. Chichiri was already on his feet by the time the group had reached him. He tried to keep going forward, wanting to play off the accident, but Cat had already gotten a glance at his face. He was sweating much more than anyone else and his face was flushed. It looked as though he had a fever.

"Chichiri san, are you alright?" Cat asked in concern as she examined his face.

She knew instantly that he was sick and it didn't look like it'd be just any little cold either. He had most likely been out in the rain those few hours he was gone. His clothes were just now drying out and he had not even had breakfast. Her first instinct was to raise her left hand and heal him, but he turned away and kept walking without a word. Tasuki then confronted his friend with an irritated look.

"Oi, Chichiri.. you don't look so good. Why don you let the girl take a look? She migh be able ta cure ya." He had a feeling his friend was going to turn down this suggestion, which caused him to become even more irritated. He knew that something had caused the Seishi to change his attitude towards the girl. He had avoided her the entire day.

"I'm fine, no da." His face held no emotion and his voice could make a mountain bend to his will. He was not going to sway from that position.

Tasuki had taken a step back; he had not imagined the forceful tone that the Seishi would take. He was just recovering from the shock and about to yell something back when he saw Chichiri stumble again. This time, though, he hit the ground hard. Cat ran to him and kneeled next to him. His face betrayed his earlier statement, he was obviously in pain.

"Chichiri san, you're going to get hurt if you keep trying to move on your own. Here, take my hand, I'll help you up." She extended her left hand out to him, but he only looked away from her, he grew irritated.

"I don't need your help." He said in his same firm voice.

He slowly got to his feet but as soon as he was standing he began to fall back again. Cat grabbed onto him before he hit the ground again. His body was extremely hot and tense.

Tasuki ran forward to help her while Aya stood and watched the scene unfold. She wasn't very good in these kinds of situations so she let the others help. But before Tasuki had reached him, Chichiri had pushed Cat away from him.

She fell back from the force he had used. She stayed on the ground as she watched him in disbelief. Why had he done that?

Chichiri instantly regretted his childish response. He especially felt remorse when he saw her on the ground where she had fallen, a look of fear and confusion in her eyes. Tasuki now held him up while he yelled at him asking him what he had done that for. But before he could say anything he fell unconscious.

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Responding to some reviewers, by Aya.. (This isn't gonna appear all the time, although we'd love to thank everyone who reads, but 'm jus' so damn happy that there're people out there reading this that I gotta do it )

Koneko03-- ... Oh, that makes sense. I thought I had removed the whole signed reviews only thing, guess I was wrong Anyways, congrats on being the first to review! Cookies for you! Long reviews welcome. Thanks much!

Majishia-- of course we know that ; I do so towards many fanfics, where I read an' love it.. I understand there are fellow lazy people out there. But hey, we need confidence A few will do. A cookie for you, too, on being second

And thank you to Eevee, Ember, and Dragid!!


	6. Chapter 6

Aya here, ready to post this next chapter... I guess no one wants to here me rant and jus' go on to the fic.

Do people even read this?

Anyways, as the disclaimer usually goes, we don' own nothin' but ourselves... an' anything else that isn't Watase's. Of course nothing wrong with borrowing Tasuki for the night... or hiding him under the bed.

So, on with the fic!

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**Chapter 6**

After trekking up the mountain, the group finally arrived to the summit. Tasuki carried an unconscious Chichiri piggy back style while Aya and Cat walked closely behind.

The girls and Tasuki hadn't spoken a word since Chichiri had fallen unconscious. Aya had begun to curse and scream at the monk just after he had passed out, she had no idea he was that ill. She was extremely upset at how he had treated her friend, all Cat wanted to do was help him, and yet he had pushed her away.

_That jackass… I know his past is tragic… but still! He has no right to treat anyone like that. _

She was reserving her wrath for after he woke up. She was worried for him, seeing as how weak he had become. Aya glanced sideways at the monk. He was still sweating profusely and he shifted every once in a while, it looked like he was having a nightmare.

"Tasuki, are we there yet? Where's this old lady that's suppose to help us?" Aya asked while she looked down at the ground. She had to be very careful of where she stepped, since the terrain was treacherous. Her brow was crinkled as she frowned, why hadn't they made it yet?

Right when Aya looked back up to ask Tasuki something she found the most hideous face in the world staring right back at her. Aya let out a yelp as she jumped back. She thought it was a demon of some sort but then she realized it was Taiitsukun.

_Damn she really is that ugly! I thought they were just exaggerating in the anime…_

Taiitsukun was used to how people reacted to her, and she seemed to know what Aya was thinking. She gave a huge frown, which magnified her ugliness by at least ten fold.

"Oi, Grandma! Are ya gonna float there all day or are ya gonna ask us in? 'Cause I got a sick monk 'ere." Tasuki glared at the old woman. For the first time, his concern over Chichiri was greater than his fear of the creator's face. However, he could not help to shudder when that face was directed at him.

"What's this?" She asked, pointed to Aya. Cat was beside her friend, so most likely she was included as well.

Tasuki stared for a moment, as if trying to process what the woman just asked. "What's that? We were hopin' ya'd know that! That's why we're 'ere!"

"Um... could we take care of Chichiri-san, first?" Cat asked before a fight escalated. She felt the tension from the seishi and the old woman.

Taiitsukun looked as if she were contemplating of letting two strangers up to her mountain. "Come on," she finally said, floating away towards her palace.

At that moment both girls realized their surroundings: Mt. Taikyoku. Aya was amazed by the decoration, gawking from one side to the other as they trekked their way up. Cat was too worried to care much, although she made sure to take some pictures with her camera later before she left the mountain. If we're not going to be sent home, she thought.

They finally reached their destination, they had reached Taiitsukun's palace. The group had been lead into a large room where a four post bed with wine colored sheets was placed in the middle. It was extremely large and seemed to be very comfortable.

Cat was reminded of when Miaka had been brought to the palace and had awoken in a bed much like this one. Now it was a sick Chichiri that was being placed in the bed.

At that moment Nyan-Nyan came running into the room, her blue hair bouncing up and down as she ran towards the sick monk.

"Oh, Chichiri has come to visit! How wonderful!" She happily cried out as she finally came to his side.

Her eyes then became wide with frustration as she saw the monk lie motionless on the bed. She quickly looked up at Taiitsukun who floated about, pensive and without much emotion on her wrinkled face.

"What are we going to do?! Chichiri is sick, we must help!" Nyan-Nyan protested as she watched the old woman ponder. Finally Taiitsukun replied before Tasuki could begin to yell about how they were wasting time.

"We can't do much for him besides make him as comfortable as possible…" Her eyes traveled from the sick monk to Cat who stood near him with a worried look on her face.

Cat finally noticed that she was being scrutinized and realized that she could do something for him… _But he told me to leave him alone… But he's so sick! I have to help him. _

Tasuki and Aya began to argue with Taiitsukun at her earlier comment while Nyan-Nyan ran around the group, asking Taiitsukun about how she could help.

Cat gently placed her left hand on the Seishi sweaty forehead. He winced from the coldness that had suddenly been inflicted on his over heated body. But he soon settled back into a motionless state.

Cat closed her eyes and concentrated as best as she could, trying to summon her powers. _Please let this work… _She thought as she kept her hand on the Seishi. Shortly after the familiar red glow appeared and her kanji sign of 'Tamashi' appeared on her wrist. Cat continued to concentrate while Chichiri's illness was absorbed into herself. His forehead began to cool along with the rest of his body while Cat began to feel warm.

Finally Chichiri's body temperature returned to normal. He stirred and awoke. He found himself in an unfamiliar area and then noticed Cat's hand gently placed on his forehead. She still had her eyes closed and 'Tamashi' was just now starting to fade. She finally reopened her eyes to a rather blurry vision. But she was not as weak as she had felt the last time she had healed. She quickly recovered her vision and saw Chichiri awake, looking up at her.

_Oh no! He told me to leave him alone and now he finds me with my hand on his head, healing him!!! _She quickly removed her hand. "I'm sorry." She said quickly. She then turned and left the monk to his recovery.

There was no time for apologies or arguments. Aya frowned, gave one last dirty look at Chichiri before following her friend out of the room. She did not know where the girl could go in such a large palace. Might as well get lost with her.

Taiitsukun gaze followed the girls out before turning back to the two seishi. She made sure that Aya and Cat were out of earshot before she turned serious (although her face looked too ugly to tell). "Those two girls are from another world, are they not?"

Chichiri felt the tense atmosphere and removed his mask, looking up at his old teacher with one eye. "Tasuki found them out in the woods awhile ago. We were hoping you could let us know why they are here. Who summoned them?"

Tasuki crossed his arms, not saying a word, but his look revealed the same questions.

"I thought this would happen eventually," Taiitsukun sighed. "It's gotten worse."

"Worse!? Ya knew this would happen??" Tasuki threw up his arms in panic. "Ya could have warned us! An' how'd they get 'ere, then?"

The old woman raised her arm in a threat an' Tasuki quickly retreated. "As I was saying," she continued. "It's gotten worse... seems that allowing Taka into another world, as well as when you two and the Seiryuu warriors entering the miko's world, it opened a rift in dimensions. No one summoned the girls."

There was a pause to fill in the information, and Chichiri was the first to speak up. "So they just fell in?" He narrowed his eye. "Who else has fallen in?"

Taiitsukun nodded her head, as if she had been waiting for that question. "The one plaguing our peaceful world with demons."

"So how the hell do they have seishi powers?" Tasuki cut in, eyebrows knit together in frustration.

"That must have something to do with Suzaku giving them some of his power to protect themselves. I will have to discuss the issue with the god to figure out why." Taiitsukun then began to mutter off to herself, floating over towards the door. Before exiting, she turned back to the other two. "Rest for now. Tomorrow I'll have most of your answers."

Chichiri exchanged looks with Tasuki, both still unsatisfied with their answers. "We will have to wait until morning once she speaks with the god," Chichiri finally stated, placing his mask on again. "Until then... I think rest is a fine idea. I'd appreciate being alone, Tasuki."

The bandit nodded and allowed the monk his privacy as he left.

However, a hyper voice stopped him. "Come, Come! We have rooms for all of you!" Nyan Nyan bounced next to him, and began to lead him across the hall to a large room. Inside, he found a large bed but the room itself was smaller than the one he had left. There was a thump next door and the fire seishi looked to Nyan Nyan."What th' hell was that?"

"The two ladies!" She beamed brightly. "Rest for now! We will have a feast for you later!" With that, the blue-haired girl left him.

The 'thump' that Tasuki had heard coming from the girl's room was produced by Cat. She felt a bit light headed after healing Chichiri and had tripped over her duffle bag that was lying on the floor. She then proceeded to slam into the wall.

Aya stood laughing at her friend as she watched Cat sink to the ground, forehead red as a cherry, along with her face from the embarrassment.

"You klutz!" Aya said between her loud laughter. She couldn't help that had been one of the funniest things she had seen since they had arrived to Konan.

Right after she said this, Aya decided to rummage through her bag and get some Advil out. She knew Cat was going to need it, especially after slamming into the wall. But while she was opening her bag, a small spider quickly crept out and ran up her hand.

The room exploded with the sound of Aya's terrified screams. Cat quickly got to her feet and ran towards Aya who was trying to fling the spider off by shaking her head about wildly. When Cat finally reached her hysterical friend, Aya's hand was thrown into Cat's face. The spider was killed instantly.

Cat fell back onto the bed, holding her nose which tingled from the shock of being slapped. Aya began to cry as she started to say something about 'disinfecting herself'.

Tasuki couldn't take it anymore. The whole ordeal had lasted about a minute, filled to the brim with laughter and then screaming. He had to know what was going on… What if they were being attacked?

He finally ran into their room and found the girls in their respective positions. Aya crying and Cat trying to console her while holding a bloody nose. He slowly backed out of the room, closed the door quietly, and told himself to forget what he had just seen.

Two hours later, they all met up in a large dinning room. The only light came from the many candles that adorned the walls and a few that were placed on the long rectangular table. A feast had been placed before them, prepared by Nyan Nyan most likely. The little girl had cheerful lead the three to the table and was now chirping about how wonderful the food was and that they should enjoy it as much as possible.

Cat had instantly fallen in love with the little blue haired girl. Whenever Nyan Nyan appeared Cat became overjoyed… She was just sooo cute!

"Are you going to eat with us, Nyan Nyan?" Cat asked with a smile on her face. Tasuki and Aya both glared at Cat when she asked this. They couldn't stand the girl… she was sooo annoying!

Luckily for Genrou and Aya, the little girl said that she had to go help Taiitsukun. After a few sighs of relief from Gen chan and Aya, they all sat down to the wonderful meal that awaited them.

Aya and Tasuki waited for nothing, they both attacked the food before them as if it was their last meal. Cat, on the other hand, sadly looked at the dishes that had been made with so much care… she wondered what Chichiri was going to eat… Aya soon noticed her friend's solemn mood. She gave Cat a nudge with her elbow, and a smile.

"Hey, your food's gonna get cold if you don't eat!" She said as cheerfully as she could, trying to encourage Cat to join in her merriness.

She wasn't used to being the happy one… that was Cat's job. But lately Cat was falling into depression more and more, and she stayed like that for longer periods of time. _Its all the jackass's fault! He's gonna kill her if he doesn't stop acting so cold to her… _She squeezed her napkin in her right hand as she thought of this, growing more upset as she continued to think about how Chichiri had been acting lately.

Cat snapped out of her sad mood when she noticed that Aya's right eye had started twitching. She quickly started to load her plate with food.

"It's so wonderful that Nyan Nyan took so much time and effort to make this food for us! She's such a great little girl!" Cat said happily, trying to bring Aya out of her murderous rage. Aya came to at these words and continued to eat. Tasuki had had no idea what was going on. He continued to eat heartily while the girls had been talking to each other.

Finally the meal was done and they all set off with their bellies full. Without anyone noticing, Aya had managed to find two large bottles of sake lying around the dinning area. She had taken them in order to have a good time that night.

Cat was still depressed and she thought that if she got her a bit drunk, she might get her mind off of Chichiri and just have a good time…

_And of course, it won't hurt to get Gen chan tipsy too! Maybe he'll be more likely to let me sleep with him tonight… _Aya nearly drooled as she pictured the scene, Cat meanwhile watched her friend with a look of worry on her face.

She had an idea of what her friend was thinking. Tasuki, on the other hand, had no idea what the crazy brunette was planning… but he was going to find out soon enough.

The girls had gone into their room and Tasuki into his, but only half an hour later (after coaxing Cat into doing it) the girls appeared in the bandit's room. He had just taken off his shirt and was about to remove his pants when Aya flung open the door. She had two sake bottles, one in each hand, and a huge smile on her face.

"Lo, Tasuki!" She said cheerfully.

Genrou nearly died when he saw her standing their. She was wearing a tank top and shorts. He had never seen her with such little clothes on before. His face went red as he began to yell at her.

"Git out of here, Hentai! I don wan none of yer stuff!"

He said while he quickly jumped under his covers. Aya's face changed from happiness to rage as she ran towards him.

"You are going to let us in and we are all going to have a good time tonight! Do you understand?!" Aya said through clenched teeth.

Her face told him that going against her will was not a smart idea… if he still wanted to see the light of day. But before he could even say yes, Aya turned to the door.

"Come on, Cat! He said it was fine!"

After a second or two, Cat walked in shyly, wearing her pink pjs. This was going to be a very interesting night.

After emptying the first bottle of sake, the girls were already very drunk. Cat had been very quiet and had refused to drink, but Aya finally talked her into it. Now she was the one who was the drunkest of all.

Her cheeks were flushed from the alcohol in her body, she had never had a drink before and now she had placed so much liquor into her system! She laughed merrily as Aya told wild stories and Tasuki shared some of his journeys with Kouji.

Aya wasn't as drunk as Cat, but she was still acting very stupid. She was now in the process of braiding Genrou's hair.

_This is like a slumber party! _She thought as she playfully caressed his fiery hair. _No this like heaven…_

Gen chan had been against the whole night from the start. But he found it hard to resist good Sake… so he ended up falling into Aya's plans. He wasn't drunk, his resistance to alcohol was great… but he still felt a nice buzz and was very happy. He kept the half empty bottle of the remaining sake to himself as he told his stories to Cat who listened attentively.

Finally after having painted Tasuki's toe nails orange and getting a few pictures of the whole ordeal, Cat headed off to her own bed. Aya had stayed behind, claiming that she was going to get a back massage since her spine was acting up again.

But the sounds that Cat heard coming from the room did not seem like it was anything close to a back massage… It sounded like they were…

_Oh God, they're not really?! _Cat thought in desperation as she heard Aya moaning and periodically saying 'oh right there!' and 'Tasuki… you're so good!'.

Cat listened to her CD player as loud as possible, hoping to block out the noise.

It was not like Aya was aware of the noise she was emitting. The groans every time Tasuki hit a knot and a moan once his miracle fingers worked to remove it. Aya was drunk enough not to notice. Thankfully, Tasuki was buzzed enough not too care. He focused on the work, forgetting about the other company that shared the palace.

Once he finished the upper back, shoulders, and neck, he dared to go towards her lower back… However, drunk Aya did not give him the privilege. The moment his hands started shifting downwards, Aya rolled away and grinned up at him.

"Th' wa' good!" She gave off a yawn, then added. "Too bad Cat coul'n get 'un." She smacked her lips, then tried to focus on the man that was leaning above her, looking a bit wavy to her vision. "I thin' you drun', Tass-chan."

The red-head gave her a blank look, "Ya never had any drink 'fore, have ya?"

The girl shook her head and showed off her toothy grin again, which wasn't that attractive even when she was sober. She then proceeded to snuggle into his blanket. "Th'n som.. som'un dun' like me can' go ou' on 'er own." She struggled to keep her eyes open. "C'n ya… stay 'ere?" She added the last when she noticed the bed shift and the man ready to head out of the room.

The seishi hesitated, sighed, and went back onto the bed after the frightened look that Aya had sent him at the thought that he'd leave. "Fine, fine…" He pulled on some of the covers. "But this is the last time… Of course, it's not like ya will remember this." He faced the opposite direction.

After a few minutes of staring at the opposite wall, Tasuki believed that the girl was asleep. He wasn't nearly as drunk so he still had coherent thoughts… and those thoughts were still too mixed up to put together.

"'m s'rry"

It was faint, but he still heard it. Tasuki swiftly turned around in bed to look at the girl, but she had her back to him. He thought of replying, but instead settled back, staring at the rise and fall of the sheets before drifting off as well.

The next morning, hangovers came with a vengeance.

First Cat awoke to the biggest headache of life. She found fruit in her room and attacked it before taking two advil. As for her neighbors, the first to wake up was Tasuki. He did not feel that bad, since his tolerance was higher, but he quickly decided to get up, dressed, and out of the room. He left Aya to wake up to an empty bed. The only way she knew someone was there, was the warm spot she rolled into.

There was a loud groan as she buried her head into the pillow, blocking out the light.

"Wake up! Wake up!" A cheerful voice called from the door. "Taiitsukun calls! Aiiyaa!!" Nyan Nyan received a well deserved smack with the occupant's pillow.

"Geh," Aya told her, dark rings under her eyes and hair sticking out in odd directions. "I'm up… go 'way," she managed. The Nyan Nyan chirped a quick 'yes!' and disappeared around the corner. The girl slowly got up, holding her head, and looked back towards the doorway when she felt another presence.

"Advil?" Cat offered, holding a cup of water and the bottle of pills, looking just as groggy.

"Thanks."

The two tried to look decent, even with their throbbing heads and half-shut eyes. Most of the night before was blurry, but unfortunately Aya remembered most of it. As for Cat… she did not show any hint that she knew.

Once they were slightly more revived, the two girls joined the seishi in a large room, where they had previously had their dinner the night before. Chichiri was present and healthy, mask on even in the solemn atmosphere. Although, even with his mask on, he still held a deep frown. Tasuki mirrored the same expression.

"What's going on?" Aya muttered to Cat, who only shrugged. When they got closer, the brunette tensed. "Oh…."

Standing before them was Taiitsukun, shriveled, small, and floating still… But flanking her both sides were two magnificent beings that held every grace and glory, perfect chiseled faces and an aura that shown off their powers that even the weakest could pickup (unfortunately two drunk other-worldly girls decided to ignore the tense atmosphere).

"I think you two already know your respective emissary." Taiitsukun began. She noticed the twitch begin in Tasuki's eye, and Chichiri's brightened expression, as if he finally figured it out. "Suzaku, you have honored Cat with your powers in order to make up for the lack of our world's seishi and to defend against our enemy. And Seiryuu, you have privileged Aya to your own powers as well."

"What the hell!? We've been traveling with a Seiryuu all this time!?" Tasuki shouted. It earned him an immediate hit from Taiitsukun.

"Show some respect!" The old woman screamed. Suzaku flinched, but just barely visible. All the while everyone else kept composed.

_That makes so much sense now,_ Aya thought. Her face hardened at Tasuki's reaction, but she thought it might have been something like that. As for Cat, she could not help but stare openly at the God that she represented.

Chichiri was glancing between the South and East God, then finally removed his mask and leveled his eye at the old woman in the center: his old teacher. "What is the purpose?"

She smirked, a wrinkled old thing that made the girls twitch. "I was waiting for that… " Then she grew serious again. "It seems this rift has been opened for awhile, and the two girls weren't the only ones to drop in. So far, aside from them, one other has appeared to my knowledge. Vereor."

"Veh… Vereer… Vereor… Heheh, sounds funny." Aya tried to sound out the name for herself, smacking her tongue against the roof of her mouth. When everyone's gaze turned to her, she turned red. "Was I, uh, saying that out loud?" She ducked her head. _My bad._

"As I was saying," Taiitsukun continued. "We have been seeing signs of Vereor lately. I am not sure where he hails from, but he has control of demons and so far has threatened Hokkan's capitol for domination. My beliefs are because he is stuck here, he plans to take control of our world. What his power extends from past the demons, we're not sure. To take precautions, we have allowed the girls to help."

"We have given you some of our powers. You both sum up to more than just one seishi, but do not exhaust it out. If you need our help, we can be called in the worse situations." Suzaku's soft voice announced, his red eyes sticking towards the dark-haired girl.

Seiryuu stood silent, his arms were crossed and his expression was unreadable. However, the tense atmosphere between the two gods said it all. When he spoke, his deeper voice sounded nearly mocking to the phoenix. "Although we have been reassured that the two of you can take care of yourselves."

Suzaku ignored him, his face softening into a gentler look than the god of war beside him. "From what we have heard, Hokkan is the best place to begin your search. The remaining seishi of this world have been assigned to protect it from such evils again. You have proven yourself well with Tenkou, but without the help of the others, now that they are reincarnated, we will provide as much help as possible."

"Of course Suzaku shichiseishi had priority to get reincarnated… while all of mine remain deceased and unaccounted for." Seiryuu put in at the end of the red-haired god's speech.

"Mine had not done any evil deeds in their lifetime." The phoenix shot back coolly.

"They had their reasons."

"Seiryuu! Suzaku!" Taiitsukun glared at each in turn when they began to face each other to bicker off. "Anyways, seishi…" She addressed all four in general. "I believe it is time for you to head off. The faster you are in this, the faster it will be to resolve most issues."

"An' get rid of th' Seiryuu wit' us," Tasuki muttered, eyeing the god in general. He didn't feel the murderous glare he was receiving from the respective god's emissary.

The two gods nodded their heads and then disappeared in a flash, signaling the end of the meeting. Or most likely the start of a battle between the two wherever they may be headed.

"Alright, time to go, no da." Chichiri bowed to his teacher and then replaced his mask. "Thank you, Taiitsukun. We will see you again."

The old woman waved her hand to excuse them. "Go on, hurry up and get rid of them.. And please report any more stragglers you pick up… from another world." She smiled at the two girls, and Aya could have sworn she saw her wink. "Take care of yourselves."

The four returned to their rooms and packed up. Tasuki and Aya remained far apart from each other, the latter making sure that she did not even give the man a glance. The two girls hurried to their rooms, packed up their bags, and met the seishi at the entrance. Thus, their journey began anew… with everyone keeping a great distance between the two sexes.

Aya and Cat were well behind the other two, following them down the mountain. They had no idea where they were headed, but they did not mind much.

"That asshole…" Aya hissed.

"Who?" Her friend asked, looking at the seething girl.

"Both of 'em!" The shorter one shifted her bag, struggling with it. Luckily, Chichiri had convinced Tasuki to help out with the heavier bag she had brought. "I mean, it's like we're starting _all_ over again. They won't even ask anything to us directly…"

The other girl ducked her head, "I'm sorry…"

"You're not the one that should be apologizing," Aya muttered.

Cat apologized again and sighed. She wasn't in her bubbly mood anymore. She walked slower and allowed the depression to sink in. This trip was already looking gloomy for all of them.

Up front, Tasuki was doing the complaining. "Why th' hell did we have ta bring 'er along? She's _Seiryuu's_ pawn. Can't she… go to Kutou or something. Give 'em th' girl ta deal with 'er."

"That's mean, no da. You were getting along well with her, Tasuki." Chichiri frowned as his friend. "Just because she has Seiryuu's power, does not mean you should act like that, no da."

The bandit shrugged. "She was always getting on my nerves. It's 'bout time we dumped 'em somewhere… Oi, where _are_ we headin'?"

Chichiri sighed. "You two were looking quite friendly to me, no da." He said softly, but his friend caught it and turned red, either with rage or embarrassment. Before he could retaliate, the monk continued. "It's about time we pay a visit to the Empress. We shall inform Houki-sama of our situation, no da. Then we will go North, na no da." They had been traveling until the early evening, and the sun was already beginning to set. He glanced back at the girls, whom had begun to scrunch down in exhaustion. "We're stopping here for the night, no da."

The announcement was made when they had nearly reached the bottom of the mountain. They will retrieve their mounts in the morning and head towards the capitol then.

"Ah! I'm _so _tired," whined Aya as she set her bag down and fell against it. Her head lolled down, chin banging against her chest. "What's for dinner?" She asked, thought the question wasn't directed to anyone.

Chichiri provided the answer from his spot. Removing the bedrolls off his back, he glanced over at the bad-tempered bandit. "Tasuki, how about you go off and catch us a hare or something to eat… we have been eating fish for awhile, no da."

At that, Cat flinched. She did not want to announce her eating habits. She had been doing well on the fish they caught, vegetables and porridge… but now? "Ah, I'll… be right back." She got up and began to head out away from their clearing, but remained close enough to stay in sight.

Tasuki frowned but agreed, taking some rope with him and a dagger he headed towards the denser part of the forest. Aya was going to speak up, but she decided to stay silent for her friend.

"I'll… gather firewood," she said as she got up, not quite comfortable enough around the monk not to say something insulting.

While they were all separated, doing their own things, Cat finally decided to return to camp with her sweater used as a basket. She carried in a bunch of herbs, stuff that might resemble something edible. Then she sat by her bags and began to sort things out.

Curious enough, Chichiri came over and looked down. He finally decided to break the silence. "Do you study medical herbs, no da?"

Cat let out a squeak, not having noticed the blue-haired seishi's approach. She stared up at him wide-eyed, as if waiting to be scolded for something.

"I'm sorry, no da," Chichiri finally said after a long pause. He glanced away, quite uncomfortable. "For treating you that way. I know you were trying to help, no da…" There was still silence, and finally he added quietly. "Thank you, for the healing."

Cat was surprised, and her face showed it. She tried to form a few words, but at the end she snapped her attention back to the herbs. "A-Are they edible?" She asked softly.

"D-daa?" Chichiri leaned down to look. "Then you don't know what you got, no da?"

Cat shook her head quickly. "I thought I might as well try something different. A salad with whatever I could manage." She looked down shyly. "I-I'm sort of a vegetarian." She looked at him to see his expression, but the masked face merely stared back confused. "I don't eat meat… or chicken. Only fish."

The monk then stood up straight. "Oh! Then I shouldn't have asked Tasuki to hunt, no da! Sorry!" He looked around, as if trying to figure something out. "How about I fish for you?"

The girl shook her head, but smiled nonetheless. "No, it's alright. Sorry to trouble you. I thought a salad would do nicely. Maybe something different, since we've had so much fish." She nervously separated some herbs.

Chichiri beamed again and nodded his head in understanding. "Alright, no da. I'll teach you." He sat down across from her, the pile between them. Then he began to instruct her in the different herbs, separating the edible ones with the inedible, tossing away the poisonous once he taught her the basics of identifying them. "Also…" He then got up, heading towards a section of their clearing and began to dig up a few small plants. He brought them back. "You can cook some tubers, there are many tasty plants that you can wash the roots and eat them, no da!"

The two continued their discussion, even when Aya returned with an armful of wood. She glanced at their corner, a smile twitching at her lips. However, as soon as Tasuki returned and gave her a disgusted look, her mood turned sour again. _At least one of us is gonna get a better trip now._ She sighed to herself.

Tasuki finally returned with two hares slung over his right shoulder. He seemed very tired and not in the mood for anything. He quickly set to work preparing the nights catch and then set to grilling them over the fire.

Cat had already had her dinner when the others sat down to theirs. She was satisfied with her salad, but she had wished for some Italian dressing... _That would have been soo good! _She then started to nod off to sleep.

She lay on her mat near the fire, watching the group as they ate. Aya sat near her and didn't talk to either of the Seishi or Cat. She was still fuming over how Tasuki had reacted to her being one of Seiryuu's Seishi replacements.

She savagely bit at the meat which she had longed for. She was tired of having fish. Her eyes narrowed every now and then when she thought back to the meeting with the Gods... _that jackass._


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer!!!!!!

Aya and Cat don't own Fushigi Yuugi, Watase Yuu does.

Aya and Cat don't own Coke or the rights to any soft drinks.

Aya and Cat don't own anything!!! Isn't that sad?

Oh wait... Aya and Cat do own themselves and all the stuff they manage to come up with along the way.

* * *

**Chapter 7**

Finally the group dozed off one by one and then before they knew it, morning came. They had found their steeds grazing not to far off and were now ready to head off. The Seishi on their stallion and the girls on their mare. The ride was quiet with both parties. Tasuki and Chichiri had little to discuss. They had spent the previous night talking about the best route to take to reach the palace.

Cat finally spoke up; she couldn't stand the silence anymore. "You know... it probably came out worse than it actually was..." Cat said regarding Gen chan's reaction to Aya's affiliation with the God of war.

She looked back slightly and found a brooding Aya with her gaze set on something far ahead. She didn't want to talk about Genrou, not until he said he was sorry.

"I think he's just a bit confused... about the way he feels about you..." Cat said softly as they continued to trot onwards. The sun was high above them and the sky was clear. A perfect day to be outdoors.

Aya didn't respond, instead she let out a disbelieving 'keh' and shifted a bit. She found it hard to believe that Tasuki would ever fall for her now...

Evening reached the group sooner than they had expected. They all set up for the night and Tasuki went out again to catch dinner. Cat set off to find herself some veggies for another rabbit friendly meal and to test herself and see if she remembered what the Seishi had taught her. Aya stayed at the campsite while Chichiri went off in search of the firewood.

Aya lay on her back watching the stars begin to appear above her while she waited for the others to return, mainly Cat. She still hadn't forgiven Chichiri entirely and Tasuki was nowhere near forgiveness.

At that moment Tama appeared from a bush. He meowed and set off towards the girl, tail perked up in anticipation of some affection.

"Where the hell have you been?" Aya asked as she eyed the cat. He would just disappear for days on end and suddenly reemerge... she wondered how he found them.

But right at that moment Cat and Chichiri came out of the woods. Cat was asking the Seishi if she had collected the correct herbs this time while he examined her forage.

Aya watched the two with a grin... they made a cute couple. But her smile vanished as soon as a certain red head appeared as well.

He carried with him a single hare, but a very large one. He had quickly glanced towards Aya, but once he saw her staring back at him with cold eyes, his gaze was shifted to the animal.

When Cat had finally sat down next to Aya, she began to rummage through her bag. She had something that she thought might cheer her friend up. She quickly found what she had been searching for and smiled as she pulled out an unopened 20 oz bottle of Coke.

"Hey Aya, I've got something for you." She said sweetly as she held out the bottle.

Aya's attention was brought to her friend and then she saw it. Coke. She grabbed the bottle as if her life depended on it. Her eyes filling with tears as she opened it and began to chug the warm soda. This was the best thing to happen to her in a while.

The Seishi had their attention brought to the girls, they watched as Aya inhaled the strange liquid and Cat laughed at her friend. Finally Aya finished the drink and turned to her friend with tears in her eyes.

"Thank you!" She cried as she looked at her friend. Cat would now forever be on her good side.

The event had been rather entertaining, but soon the night ended as it had before. The only difference was that Aya was now in a better mood. She dreamt that night of Coke, and everything was right in the world.

The next day, while they ate their breakfast, Tasuki and Chichiri discussed the fact that they could make it to the palace if they rode straight the entire day.

"But it'll be uncomfortable if we ride together again, no da." The monk said with a small frown.

"Ya but I ain't gonna ride wit' Seiryuu, ova there." Tasuki announced as he got to his feet. He had no intentions of being anywhere near the brunette for the remainder of his life. He hated anyone who even said the name Seiryuu without proceeding with 'is an ass'.

Finally after much debate, Aya and Chichiri rode together while Cat was left with Genrou. They set off at a quicker pace than usual in hopes of reaching the capital soon.

Cat rode behind the red haired bandit in silence. She was used to being in charge of the horse... But she then realized that something good might come out of this event. She planned her words carefully and then spoke up above the sound of the horses hooves beating against the ground.

"Tasuki kun" she called. She felt the bandit stiffen a bit. _I guess he wasn't expecting me to talk..._

"Ya?" He responded a few seconds later.

"About Aya... I know she's Seiryuu's envoy... but she's still the same person that she was before." Cat paused. She hoped her words would reach him; she didn't want him to keep shunning her friend the way he was. "You shouldn't judge her based on that one fact, it's not fair. She's a great person and she deserves your respect at the least. Please don't shun her anymore, it's not her fault she fell into this world and was given those powers... She's still Aya and she just wants to get along with you."

Cat wondered if her words had reached him at all. Tasuki was silent. She let out a small sigh, she had really hoped to get through to him and make him see how much Aya cared about him. _Oh well...I tried._

But Genrou had heard the girl. He started to feel bad at his recent treatment of the brunette... It was true, she hadn't asked for any of this... neither of them had. And ever since she had first arrived, she had only tried to be nice to him, and still he pushed her away.

He decided that once they reached the palace, he'd try to make up with her. _Hopefully she won' take it as an invitation inta my bedroom... _

Even though the group had pushed their steeds to the limit, they had not managed to make it to the palace before midnight. The girls had not been used to staying up this late in Konan. Even though they were college students, they had been getting to bed before midnight here.

Cat had fallen asleep, using Tasuki's back as a support for her tired head. She shifted around every so often trying to get comfortable, but it was useless.

Aya had begun to lull off, her head bumping into the Seishi in front of her every so often. She would apologize softly as she tried to keep her exhausted eyes open. But soon after she'd doze off again.

Finally Chichiri halted his horse and waited for Tasuki to do the same. Cat was now soundly asleep along with Aya.

"We should stop here for the night, no da." Chichiri said as he watched the sleeping girl.

She slowly opened her eyes to find that they had stopped. Aya also awoke shortly after when she felt Chichiri get off the horse. She had been having a rather peaceful sleep.

She soon got off and hit the ground with her rather numb limbs. She hadn't used them all day. She had tried to stretch them out but it hadn't been as successful as she had hoped it would be.

Cat soon slid off her horse as well after Tasuki had gone off. She was still groggy from her nap but she slowly regained her vivaciousness. She was going to go over to Aya but soon found she had gone off to bed.

She thought of joining her but she wasn't tired anymore... so instead she grabbed her CD player and went off to have a listen.

Chichiri had become rather intrigued as to what the dark haired girl had retrieved from her bag. It was a bright yellow object that he had never seen before.

He watched as she sat down and opened it somehow and retrieved a silver disk from it. She then put in another disk and closed it. After doing so she placed a strange black object on her head, covering her ears...

Cat had begun to listen to the music, with her eyes closed, when she felt that someone was watching her. She soon opened them and found Chichiri with a puzzled look on his face as he watched her. She stared back at him with a rather amused look on her own; he looked so cute like that. She then realized that he must be wondering what she was doing, probably not being familiar with a CD player. She stopped the track and took her headphones off.

"Do you want to listen?" She asked him as he continued to watch the contraption that lay next to her.

Chichiri soon realized that he had been blatantly staring at her, and that this was rather rude. He soon recovered when she had spoken to him.

He had no idea what she meant, but he was still rather curious...

"What is it, no da?" He asked.

"Its called a CD player and it plays music." Cat said as she got to her feet and walked over to the monk.

"The yellow thing is the player and this is a CD." She had opened the player and was pointing to the disk inside.

"The CD contains the music... and you listen to it by using these headphones... you put them over your ears and raise the volumes and you're set!" She said this as she kneeled next to him, smiling as she explained. He seemed very interested but she knew her explanation wasn't very good...

"Do you want to listen?" She asked again as she closed the player again and set it to her favorite track. This would be the only real way for him to understand the device. But before he could respond, Cat had placed the headphones over his head and soon the song began to play. The lively Cuban music came through with the sounds of guitars, drums, and trumpets.

He had never heard music like this before. Soon after the introduction a smooth male voice began to sing, but he couldn't understand what they were saying. His face showed this confusion and Cat soon stopped the track.

"What's wrong? You don't like it?" She asked as she helped him remove the headphones.

"It's not that... it's just that I don't understand what they're saying, no da."

_I guess he can't understand it since It's Spanish... but how come he can understand English, that's not what the miko speaks... maybe its because we use English as our principle language and Spanish as our secondary? _Cat soon came out of her thought when she realized that she had not said anything to the monk who was observing her. "Well... it's called Spanish, the language that is. And the music is from Cuba, my father's home land." Cat said, trying to explain at least this much to the Seishi.

"It's very... lively, no da. I've never heard anything like it, na no da." He said as he looked away from Cat and towards Aya, she was currently curled up in the fetal position and sleeping peacefully.

He wondered if she too knew this 'Spanish'...

"I love it! The music that is. I was supposed to go with my dad to Cuba this year, for Christmas, but I couldn't cause I needed to get some surgery done." Cat brightly stated. She was feeling a lot more comfortable around the Seishi now that he had showed remorse for his earlier actions. She would have forgiven him either way, but she was glad he had said something.

"Surgery, no da?"

"Oh it's nothing serious, just need to get my wisdom teeth pulled." Cat brightly said with the same smile. _I forgot that surgery over here is a big deal... I mean it is back home too, but here it's even bigger of a deal... _

The monk seemed somewhat satisfied at this answer. He soon settled back into his relaxed mood. "Are you and your father close, no da?"

"Yeah... I guess... We're always getting into fights but I still love him... and I can't say I always agree with him or his actions but, that's the way it goes..." She turned to face the monk as she continued the conversation.

"I mean, he didn't even want me to go to UF, he's so protective! That was the first time I went against him so blatantly, but I'm glad I did. I wouldn't have been happy at any other college." She turned to face him directly, her smiling eyes reflecting his own.

"Sometimes you've just gotta go for what you want, you know? Even if you're afraid of how things will turn out, you've just gotta take that chance."

Chichiri remind silent, a bit taken for some reason by her sudden change of moods and actions. But before the silence could last long, she had gotten to her feet and ran over to her bag, taking out an envelope. She then returned to the monk.

"This is my mom, big brother, and that's my dad, this was taken when I graduated from high school." Cat explained as she showed him the picture. Her family happily beamed back at him, all of them dressed formally while Cat wore her white graduation cap and gown and held her diploma.

Chichiri examined the photo and then realized that Cat was starting to doze off again. He smiled as she covered her mouth while she yawned, trying to stay awake.

"Maybe you should go to bed, no da?" He asked her. His soothing voice making her even more sleepy than she had been, but she didn't want to go... she wanted to stay with him. But she knew that she'd better do as he said, so she she nodded sleepily and then left after taking her picture and CD player and bidding him a good night. She then settled into a peaceful sleep, dreaming about the Seishi...

The next morning was uneventful. Even with the pep talk, Tasuki still refused to apologize to the shorter girl and rode the rest of the way to the capital with Cat. Chichiri once again was sharing mounts with Aya, but this time he felt more of a defeated aura from the girl, instead of the intense animosity he had felt before towards the red-haired seishi.

When the sun finally began to raise itself over their heads, they came into sight of the large city. Aya and Cat marveled at the ancient looks it held, even as they began to make their way through the outskirts where several taverns were found and many gloomy alleys. As they made their way to the center, towards the palace, a loud rumble interrupted their pace.

"'m hungry… How 'bout we stop for some lunch 'fore we make our big entrance. Eh, Chichiri?" Tasuki said from the back. He had already begun to head towards the nearest tavern, sniffing as if he were following the trail of good food.

"I'm sure Houki-sama will have something prepared, no da." Chichiri provided, but his own stomach betrayed him. Aya's lips twitched, the first sign of a smile the monk had seen on her face since Mt. Taikyoku. "Alright, no da," he sighed and dismounted. He helped Aya off while the two seishi tied their mounts and entered.

It wasn't as full as the two foreign girls expected, however their jeans and shirts still brought the odd stares from the few occupants. They sat themselves in the furthest corner, and glanced at the menus. Obviously, the two girls were lost as to what they were looking at.

"Uh…. What's edible?" Aya asked, flipping the piece of paper around before tossing it aside and looking towards Chichiri for an answer. She refused to meet Tasuki's eyes.

The monk was helping Cat decide what she wanted. Something about bean-filled dumplings. Yum. Aya tried to suppress the slight smile and then stared off at the approaching waiter. When he arrived, they all set down their orders.

When it came down to Aya, she asked for anything that contained meat. Luckily, steak was available for a high price… and she was hungry either way. "Sure, then bring me the largest slab these boys can afford." She smirked at their providers, who nearly choked on water. "And I want it moo'ing, you understand?"

The man looked at the small girl questionably. "Say tha 'gain, missie?"

"I want my meat as rare as possible… juicy, bloody, and talking to me. Something about… this big." She used her hands to estimate the size of a steak, then measured its thickness. "Over a pound of meat, of course."

The waiter, still confused, nodded. He retreated back towards the kitchens before they could change the order.

"Aya!" Cat cried, outraged at her act. Her friend shrugged in reply. "You shouldn't eat something uncooked… especially here! At least back home it was processed enough that you _might_ not catch something, but here you're not that sure!"

"If I die, I die," Aya put in. "I would rather enjoy my last meal than eat some burnt up steak." She played with her mug of water, staring at the table. "And if I'm lucky, I'll die young," she muttered under her breathe, but Cat already knew her trademark comment.

The other girl glared, but refused to strike back this time. She knew that her friend wasn't in the playful banter mood. _Might as well let her go this time. _

After half an hour of waiting, their food arrived one by one, each enjoying it in turn… and Aya enjoying her bloody steak a little too much. She ripped at it with her fork, shoved whole pieces into her mouth, licked the juices off her lips and then made sure to soak the large slices into the running blood on the plate so that it dripped when she ate them. She continued this manner until there was not a speck of meat left on the plate.

Her spectators finished their smaller meals awhile ago, and tried to not stare at the display Aya set up for them. They all had small appetites afterwards.

Once everyone had finished and their bill was paid, they headed back out and made their way straight to the palace.


	8. Chapter 8

Next chapter... Next chapter.

So, after the uneventful last chapter... let's see how things pick up this time.

I hope everyone enjoys the fic... an' don' sue us or anything. We don' own the boys or the world or Miaka or Taiitsukun, or... Nyan Nyan... or... yah, ya get the picture ;

We own ourselves. Our crappy little college-broke selves. So send us a buck an' we'll give ya a cookie.

Enjoy!!

**Chapter 8**

When they finally arrived, Chichiri announced to the guards that they wished to speak with Houki sama. The men seemed familiar with the Seishi, but eyed the girls warily. Cat tried to a small smile, but soon ceased when one of the guards eyes narrowed in suspicion. Aya was still in a sore mood, even though she had downed a large piece of cow, she was still upset at Tasuki. She sat brooding behind Chichiri while one of the guards ran off to tell the lady of their arrival.

Finally they all entered the palace and were escorted into the throne room which they were very familiar with. Inside sat a regal woman of a very young age. She was beautiful, holding an uncanny resemblance to Nuriko, and seemed very kind and understanding.

The college students stiffened when they were lead into the room along with the Seishi... they had met so many important people lately. Cat held her gaze to the ground, fearful of doing something rude in front of the current ruler. Aya, on the other hand, nervously looked at the lady that sat before her. She didn't really know what to do either. Since they were not suffering from hangovers, they were now keenly aware of their surroundings.

Finally they all stood in a row before Houki-sama, Tasuki next to Chichiri while Aya and Cat stood side by side. The Seishi bowed before the lady and the girls followed suit and also introduced themselves.

Houki sama then spoke, her voice soft and sweet... no wonder Hotohori had chosen her for his wife. "Welcome honorable guests." She held a smile on her lips as she bid them all to stand at ease before her. Her eyes went from Tasuki to Chichiri. "I am pleased that you have returned to visit me..." She then turned her attention to the foreign girls.

Cat and Aya both stood as still as a statue, waiting for the inspection to end.

"What brings you to the capital?" She asked the Seishi after examining the girls.

"We are here to inform you of a new threat that has emerged, no da." Chichiri had answered the Empress.

She frowned as she faced the monk. Her country had just gotten out of a huge war, and now they were facing a new danger? "What exactly is this new threat?" She asked him in a more serious tone. Her eyes wandered back to the two girls, she had a feeling it had something to do with them.

"We are not sure at this moment, all we know is that he is called Vereor, no da... he seems to be a powerful foe..."

Tasuki stirred next to his friend. The atmosphere and changed drastically from jubilant to dreary. He was rather worried as to what they were going to face this time around. Even after the miko had summoned Suzaku, his work was still not done.

Houki-sama soon realized that the group was rather tired. The girls made their best efforts to keep themselves from swaying from side to side, since they were so exhausted from their travels, but still their bodies betrayed their attempted masquerade. The Empress rose to her feet and called an attendant into the room.

"Please take our guests to their rooms and help them get settled." She said brightly as she turned to face the group. "We shall have a meal prepared soon for you, as a welcome to the palace, later we shall discuss this Vereor. Until then, please make yourselves as comfortable as possible." She then excused herself and set off with two handmaidens following closely behind.

After being lead to their respective rooms, Cat went off into the courtyard that lay before her room. Chichiri had gone off to speak with Houki-sama, Aya was busy in her room and Tasuki was somewhere... only Tama joined her.

She walked around, happily recalling scenes from Fushigi Yuugi and noticing where they had taken place.

She finally rested her back against a large willow which dropped its branches into the pond that was the center point of the garden. She soon fell asleep after singing to herself and Tama who purred happily on her lap.

Aya wasn't having as much of a good time as her friend. She sat on her bed, looking through her bag and throwing things out all around her. She was looking for her bottle of generic pain medication, since Cat's Advil was running low...

While she searched, she muttered things about Tasuki giving her a headache, making her tear through her bag at a quicker pace.

She didn't realize that Tasuki was standing in her doorway, listening and watching the whole ordeal. He held an unbelieving look on his face... this girl was completely crazy! He was about to back out and try to apologize another day, but at that moment Aya sensed him and turned around.

Her eyes were quite scary; they were narrowed and almost seemed to be tinged with red... Once she saw him her eyes narrowed even more, becoming mere slits.

"What do you want?" She asked him in a murderous voice.

Genrou nearly went running when he heard that voice, it sent chills down his spine. He quickly placed an object behind his back and began to excuse himself. But Aya had seen it. She got off her bed and began to walk towards him with a curious look in her now more friendly eyes.

"What ya got there?" She asked when she finally reached where he was standing and tried to look at the object.

_It's now o never..._

He slowly brought the basket out from hiding and extended it to her. Inside were five peaches.

"M' sorry bout the way I reacted... ya know, when I found out ya were one of Seriyuu's people..." His eyes didn't meet her's, he wasn't used to apologizing and this was proving to be very difficult...

Aya was rather taken aback, she hadn't expected this at all. She looked up at the bandit with a scrutinizing look... he wasn't off the hook just yet. But she was happy that he had apologized. She took the gift from his hands and then walked back to her bed.

"Thanks, I really appreciate it... But don't ever treat me like that again! Cause if you do... you'll need a lot more than just peaches to make up for it..." She gave off a wicked smile which made the bandit nearly jump out his skin. What an odd woman...

But he was happy that she forgiven him none the less. The two stood there, looking at each other for a few seconds before they realized how odd it was. Tasuki than excused himself and left to his own room, leaving Aya to enjoy her peaches.

As soon as Tasuki was out of sight, Aya allowed herself to grin like an idiot. She smelled the peaches and then carried them over to her bed, testing each one to figure out which she wanted to eat first. Even if she was enjoying it quietly to herself, playing songs in her mind and humming when she could, she still did not have the private moment she had wanted all along.

Cat finally appeared at her friend's doorway, and was glad to see Aya in a better mood. She nodded her head as she understood what had taken place. "Finally," she said, indicating the peaches.

Aya took another bite from the juicy fruit. "Whu?" She tried her best not to blush and looked away. When she swallowed, she turned back. "Whatcha want?"

"I was wondering if you wanted to go have a little scrub down. They showed me the baths we can use just now when I woke up." Cat held up her bag, which had her shower supplies, towel, and a change of clothes. "How about it? We can finally get all the grime off of us."

Aya did not take a moment's thought. She bit down hard on the peach, put the basket on her table, and began to rummage for her stuff while muttering around the fruit in her mouth.

Cat giggled at the girl's antics and then turned to head out with her. _She is definitely in a better mood now._ The two walked side-by-side, talking about random things which went back and forth between the weather in Konan to the Philly trip they had missed.

When they arrived, they told the handmaidens they could be left alone before stripping and going about to scrub themselves clean. The new world allowed them to get rid of some of their modesty between girls. It was, after all, normal for people to bathe together. And the conversation was always entertaining.

"I wonder what they think happened to us," Aya said, implying their families, as she slipped into the lukewarm water. She sighed in relief, allowing her tense muscles to relax. It had been awhile since her back massage. _Maybe I can get him drunk enough for another treatment, now that he's in a better mood._ She grinned wickedly to herself.

"Who knows… and what are _you_ thinking of?" Cat joined her, and gave her a suspicious look. "Nothing that involves sneaking into rooms, I hope."

Aya stuck out her tongue. "You spoil all the fun, Cat… Maybe you should give it a try."

The other girl began to comb out her hair with her fingers. "No way in hell… I'm not disturbed enough to do that, and _he_ will hate me forever if I did."

The two teased each other while they relaxed, each slowly releasing all the stress from the past few days. They were soon ready to take on their new problems; one which was just on its way.

"At least _my_ god is hot. I mean, did you have a good look at Seiryuu? He has weird eyebrows…." Cat chuckled, trying to tease Aya.

Aya tried to glare, but it did not work. "Hey, he's a dragon! He's not that bad looking as one, either… An' he's not _that _bad. C'mon, he has those funky fins on the side of his head. Anyways, Suzaku's a bit too feminine looking…"

Just as she finished that sentence, as if to smite her, the world about Aya collapsed. At least that was what it felt like. Suddenly she was underwater, with a great weight on her. She swallowed the warm water and shoved the thing off, gasping towards the surface. Cat was already out and in a towel and Aya quickly followed.

"What the hell was that!?" Aya screamed as she tried to get her breathe. From the rolling waters, she saw a shape slowly begin to drag itself out. It was fully clothed.

The two emissaries of the gods stood there, completely baffled, as the Suzaku no Miko came coughing out from their bath. She said something that they could not hear and then she looked up at them.

"O-oh…. Sorry, were you two bathing?" She looked around. "This is the palace, right?"

Aya and Cat blinked… they stood in complete shock. They had no idea that Miaka Yuuki was going to be dropping in on them.

"Wha' happened!?" Tasuki came running in, after hearing some shouts and a struggle. Chichiri was right behind him with a 'wait up, no da!'

"T-Tasuki!" Miaka cried happily, which made Aya suddenly turn stiff. Her eyes narrowed as she stared at the girl, but the priestess did not notice. Instead she flew, completely wet, into the bandit's arms. Then she proceeded to do the same to Chichiri. "I thought we'd never see each other again!"

Aya's eye twitched, and she did the first thing that came to mind… pick up the pail they had to rinse themselves and threw it at Genrou's awaiting face. "Perverts!! Get the fuck out of here!" She screamed, completely ignoring Miaka's cry of alarm. Chichiri turned red once he realized the other occupants: Cat and Aya… with towels clinging to themselves with barely enough modesty.

"Bitch, we were only worried!" Tasuki yelled back, rubbing his face. He grabbed Miaka's arm and began to turn away. "C'mon, leave 'em 'lone. We've got lots to catch up on…."

As his voice trailed off, Aya suddenly grew even more furious. Her face flustered. The moment they left sight, she dressed, still damp, and ran after them. Cat was left, completely confused, to dress properly and hurry behind her.

"Trouble!?" The two girls caught as they came into one of the seishi's room. From the looks of it, it had to be Tasuki's. Miaka must have just been informed of their purpose. She glanced towards them and bowed her head formally.

"Ya, an' we got stuck with the job 'gain. I wonder why you're 'ere, though." Tasuki glanced up when he heard Aya bang her way in. The look she gave him wasn't what he had expected since he had just recently apologized.

Before Aya could burst again, Cat decided, as Suzaku's envoy, to properly introduce themselves. "Hello, I'm Cat and this is Aya."

"They are the two from another world as well, Miaka, no da." Chichiri added. He was seated at the table, the calmest one in the room.

Miaka suddenly beamed. She must have been too dense to notice the sudden animosity coming from the Seiryuu girl. "Oh! Where do you come from? I heard that you two are helping out in some trouble."

Cat provided the answers, "We're from the United States. From what we learned, we've become envoys of Suzaku and Seiryuu," she pointed to each of them in turn. "We kind of sum up for some of the missing seishi to help out with this Vereor person."

"Vereor?" Miaka echoed, puzzled. "Oh, but Americans! You really have to tell me about your home. And your Japanese is excellent, by the way!"

There was a long pause, and Aya finally spoke up. "But… we're speaking in English."

Another pause… Tasuki looked over at his fellow seishi. "Ya have any idea what 'em chicks are talking 'bout?"

"No idea, na no da," Chichiri said.

Tasuki broke the silence by stalking forward and getting Miaka's attention. His expression softened a bit. "'Nyways, Miaka. Where's Tama?"

"That's right, no da! If you're here, he must be here, too…" Chichiri looked around as if expecting him.

Aya suddenly bit down on her lip, hard. Forget about peaches, she saw the way Tasuki was thrilled at the priestesses return. Much less the priestess minus one boyfriend. She swiveled on her heel and stalked back out of the room, heading down the hall where hers was located.

The priestess and the Seishi looked up as Aya stormed out of the room. They watched the empty spot she had left and then turned to Cat for an answer. She knew the reason her friend had left the room but of course she couldn't vocalize this...

"So, Miaka was it?" Cat asked with a smile.

The group's attention was brought back to the priestess. She was a very lively girl... and just as naive as Watase Yuu had portrayed her. The girl was the same height as Cat, but she looked totally different from her and even though Cat was a very positive person... she wasn't anywhere near Miaka's caliber.

"Miaka is Suzaku's miko, no da." Chichiri provided before Miaka could say anything.

But right after this formal introduction, Miaka began to interrogate the girl.

"So what part of America are you from? You look older than me... are you still in high school?" Miaka's eyes beamed with enthusiasm. She had just made a new friend.

"Well, Aya and I are both from Florida, Miami to be exact... and we're in college now, UF up in Gainesville, Florida. We're both nineteen."

Cat was starting to warm up to the girl, she was very friendly. It was also nice to have someone that knew about her world besides Aya... it made things easier, even though Miaka was from an anime... _This is so messed up... _

"What about you? Are you in college too?" Cat asked, trying to play dumb.

"No, I'm still in high school, I'm only 17... Wow I can't believe you're from America! I've never met a foreigner before..."

Miaka looked at the girl with a rather scary look, she examined her as if trying to process the fact that she was from the States...

"But you're not white... your hair and skin is soo dark..." She was rather puzzled at the features of the Hispanic girl.

Cat blushed, she wasn't used to being scrutinized like this. She was half Cuban and had just recently left Miami. She had never found someone that was shocked by her looks besides people from the 'South'...

"W-well I'm Hispanic..." She offered softly.

Miaka didn't seem to notice this but instead just beamed back at her and kept asking her a bunch of questions while the Seishi sat and wondered what they were talking about. Finally Cat realized that she hadn't gone after Aya for quiet some time.

"Well, it's been nice talking to you! I'll see you around, I guess." She said quickly before she left the room.

She ran towards Aya's room. When she walked in, she felt the anger surging out of the girl. She gave the room a scan, looking for her friend and then saw her seated on the floor, with her back turned towards her.

"Aya... are you okay?" Cat asked timidly.

Aya's body shifted, and she muttered something about being fine. But Cat knew better than that. She had also noticed Tasuki's tone when he talked to Miaka... And she knew how overprotective Aya was of him.

Cat slowly made her way towards her friend.

"Aya... he--"

But before Cat could finish her sentence Aya turned towards her. Her face was full of emotions, unsettled and unknown even to her.

"I don't need your sympathy!" Aya said with a cruelness that Cat had never felt from her before.

The sentence hit her with a such strength that Cat staggered back a few steps. She didn't know what to say... she hadn't meant to give her friend sympathy; she just wanted to help... Cat bit her lip and tried to think of what to say, avoiding Aya's eyes.

"I-I'm sorry... I just wanted--"

But she was cut off again. Aya was now standing and her body was trembling with anger. "You cant fix everything! Just leave it alone, leave me alone!" She was now out of control. She had never felt so much rage in her life.

Tasuki was the only man she had ever really felt anything for. And now some girl was standing between them... right when things were starting to look up, everything came crashing down again.

Cat had stood paralyzed, but she soon recovered and left. Her eyes filling with tears as she apologized once more. She quickly ran out of the room and went into her own, closing the door behind her. She didn't want to see anyone.

The two Seishi had continued their conversation with Miaka soon after Cat had left. They were glad to see her again, it had felt like ages since their last meeting, especially for Tasuki.

His expression was always soft and sweet when he was around her. He still held a few unresolved feelings for her.

After the bubbly girl told them that Taka was not with her, Chichiri began to ponder why she had fallen into Konan, and why Yui had not come along as well...

"It must have something to do with this new evil, no da... things just keep getting more mixed up as time goes by..." His mask showed a frown as he pondered things. First the two girls and now Miaka was back... how many more people were going to fall in to their world?

But Miaka wasn't in the mood for serious conversation... as always her mind was on one thing... "So, are we having dinner any time soon?" She asked with a smile.

After this, the three left and headed towards the feast that awaited them. Chichiri had to let Houki-sama know that there was yet another guest that had arrived, as well. He thought of letting the other girls know that they were about to eat, but was soon assured by Tasuki that they would come when they were ready.

But they never did show up.

Aya remained locked in her room, still brooding over the day's events. Cat also stayed locked in her room... she lay on her bed and had fallen asleep after crying for a good half of an hour.

Things were never easy, especially here in Konan. Their very first experience had been the worst they had ever faced in their entire lives, and now things just kept getting more and more complicated.

_No wonder they say be careful of what you wish for... _Cat thought when she finally woke up. The moon had started to shine into her dark room. She now sat in her bed, wondering what she should do...

She couldn't go to Aya... and if she left her room she was sure to run into either Miaka or the Seishi... she didn't want to see anyone.

_I just want to run away... it's not like anyone would miss me... Tasuki couldn't care less if I died, Chichiri only cares about me since I'm Suzaku's emissary and Miaka... I just met her..._

_And Aya..._

She contemplated it. She looked at the door and began planning her escape. But where would she go? She didn't know this place at all. And every time she left on her own somewhere, be it here or in her world, disaster always followed.

The last thing she wanted was someone to go looking for her and getting hurt on her account.

She was trapped...

It was well past midnight when Aya emerged from her room. She had ventured out only because nature called.

She walked as quickly as possible towards her destination, a look of, 'don't talk to me' in her irritated red eyes. She was ready to kill anyone that even dared look into her eyes.

She managed to make it to the restroom without any problems. But when she was returning to her room she heard someone approaching. She quickened her pace, but she still ran into him...

"Damn it Tama, don't do that!" She growled after getting tripped up by the small cat. He had woven himself in between the girl's legs, begging for attention.

Aya was in no mood for this, but still she bent down and scooped the cat in her arms. She started to think about her own kitty...

"Man... I hope Snickers is okay." She said softly to herself as she continued her trip to her room.

She wondered how long it had been since she had left her world... What had happened to her mom? Did they think they had gone missing?

But she quickly turned her attention away from these thoughts; she was supposed to be boiling over Tasuki's actions towards that dense Japanese school girl, not getting emotional over her mom and cat.

The two girls kept to their rooms, neither quite sure just how hungry they were. However, a visit by Chichiri revealed to Cat just how late it was and of their missed dinner.

He rapped lightly on the door and then entered himself. He saw the swollen eyes of the girl, but decided not to comment on it. Instead, he came over to her bed carrying a bowl of vegetables and a few pears.

"I guessed you were hungry about now, no da," he said softly when the girl stared up at him in confusion. She sighed and shook her head, about to tell him that she was fine and that he could leave, but her stomach betrayed her. "I guessed right, no da." He tried to grin at her in his usual look, trying to cheer her up.

Cat stubbornly took the offered food. When she realized that the seishi was not leaving, she began to nibble at it. "So, you must be catching up with Miaka. How long has it been since you last saw her?" She tried some conversation.

Chichiri set aside the pears on the table, and then took a seat at the other end of the bed, even if it was not offered. "We last saw each other a month ago, after the defeat of Tenkou, no da. I think Tasuki is over exaggerating, na no da." He shook his head in frustration. Then he looked up towards Cat, who was staring at him intently. "What is wrong with Aya?"

The girl winced, knowing the question was going to come. "It's a long story," she said once she finished what she had in her mouth. "I guess she still has not forgiven him… and she really took his attitude to heart." She frowned, trying not to reveal too much on her friend's behalf. At the moment, she was already on her bad side.

"It must have really hurt her, no da," Chichiri commented. He could have guessed how the other girl felt about Tasuki from the way she acted. "Tasuki will get over it soon… he's a bit dense, no da."

Cat cracked a smirk, agreeing with the monk. "You're right… I just hope Aya will feel better soon." She tried her best to look a bit more cheered up when she met the seishi's eyes. "Thanks, Chichiri-san."

They stayed in silent companionship, every so often someone bringing up a random topic to converse about. Cat explained some techniques of Fencing while Chichiri tried to retell some stories of the previous seishi. When the bowl was cleared and Cat was enjoying one of her pears, Chichiri finally decided it was time to bid her good night.

Aya remained awake in her room long into the night. She played with Tama's tail the way she would have with her own cat back home, then allowed her hand to slowly caress him while he slept on her belly as she stared up into the darkness. She replayed all that had occurred in the past few days, including Miaka's sudden return. She knew that she was acting a bit immature about it… of course, she knew more about Tasuki's past than the others knew, including what occurred between him and Miaka. She had little doubt that the man would be following the miko from now on, leaving her to wander behind them, most likely leading their mounts.

The night soon became some hour in the morning when Aya finally fell into a restless sleep.

The Seiryuu girl awoke panting, eyes glancing around the room frantically. She just had a nightmare, blurred by her abrupt summons to consciousness. She ran a hand over her sweaty forehead, which proved that what she had dreamt was not something she would be too fond of remembering.

The time of the day was unknown. She slipped out of bed and went over to the table, where the peaches awaited. Grumbling, she ate one reluctantly. She was not quite inspired to go search out food, and they were the only thing available.

There came a timid knock on her door, and she beckoned her guest inside once she made sure she was decent.

"It's me," Cat announced. She pushed her way inside, and then closed the door behind her. "I just wanted to know how you were doing.. It's already around mid-day."

Aya stared at her friend. "Why didn't anyone wake me up earlier?" The other girl shrugged. "Are we not leaving today, then?"

"Of course not… We still have to plan what we're going to do. They were saying something about heading over to Hokkan and searching for Vereor straight out." Cat inspected her friend's face, trying to find anything. "Are you alright?" She finally asked.

"Yah, yah… 'm fine. I just didn't sleep well."

"You look it," Cat went over and tested her forehead, making sure that the girl was not getting another cold. "Anyways, come out whenever you are ready. Don't stay in all day." She smiled and then turned back to leave. At the door, she stopped and hesitated, finally adding what she had in mind. "And I would try and forget about the two of them… It's just that they have such a deep bond. Cheer up." With that, she left the room.

That afternoon, Aya was strolling around in the garden, looking for something to do. She plucked at a few leaves, randomly ripping and dropping them on the ground. She stared into the lake, walked to a large stone and sat down, then continued her easy pace around the perimeter.

It was when she was rounding the stone again that Cat joined her. They walked and conversed lightly on some things back on their world. They tried not to worry about it too much.

"Boushin!" A high cry came from the palace, somewhat familiar to the two Americans.

Aya was the first to turn around, and locked eyes with two wide golden orbs… And nearly smacked it. She would have, if it did not suddenly click as to who the thing was… er, babe. Cat held back her comment, staring along with her friend at the nearly bald round head and the small frame of the late Hotohori's only son.

"Boushin!" Miaka called again, coming up to the small child and the other two girls. "Oh! Cat… and Aya, nice to meet you formally for once." She smiled at the two of them. "I was playing with Boushin. He wasn't bothering you, was he?"

"What is this?" Aya muttered to her friend in Spanish, trying not to look as if she were insulting the next Emperor in front of the Suzaku no Miko.

"Don't be so mean!" Cat passed a glare before warming up at the sight of the kid. "He's really cute!" She kneeled down, but Boushin shyly backed towards Miaka. "He's the late emperor's son, isn't he? I heard from Chichiri-san and Houki-sama. I was hoping to be able to meet Boushin-sama sometime."

Aya stood silent, trying to keep her face straight. Yes, insulting him could mean her death. Just then, Tasuki came out, striding over towards Miaka. She caught his look for a moment and struggled to keep the glare from her face.

"Oi! The bra—I mean, kid needs to be fed. Take 'im back in, Miaka." The bandit said once he came next to his miko. He glanced over at the two girls, eyes lingering on Aya as if waiting for her to say something.

Cat took notice of this, and jumped to her feet. "I'll join you," she said to Miaka as she began to lead the child away. Tasuki was about to follow, but instead she turned her gaze back at them. "I think Aya was saying something earlier about wanting to talk to you," her voice was calm and cheerful. "Why don't you two stay out here since it's a nice afternoon."

Aya gave her friend the worst look she could muster the second everyone was looking away from her. When Tasuki turned with a raised brow at her, she managed to turn it into a bored frown.

"So, what's this about?" Tasuki questioned when Cat and Miaka left with Boushin. He walked towards the shore of the lake, a bit too uncomfortable to meet her in the eye.

Aya shrugged even if he were not able to see it. "Not sure, Cat tricked us," she replied honestly. She grabbed a stone from the ground and tossed it as far into the water as she possibly could. When she heard the audible splash of it, she turned to wander back around the shore. "Why did you stay anyways, didn't think you would agree to it even if I _were _part of Suzaku."

"Why the hell are ya acting like this? I thought I apologized," Tasuki shouted, striding over and trying to catch up to the retreating girl. "What's this really 'bout?"

The brunette stiffened when she felt him right next to her. Instead, she looked in the opposite direction. "Nothing," she mumbled. "It's nothing… you're right, you apologized. The peaches were alright."

But Tasuki did not appreciate that reply. He grabbed her by a shoulder and tried to get her to look at him. "That's just not it, is it? What'd I do now?"

Aya forced herself to meet his amber glare. She searched his face for something, but sighed at the end. "I'm just homesick," she did not lie entirely.

The bandit waited for a better answer, but seeing none he sagged and nodded his head. "Homesick, eh? Alright… 'm sure you can go home as soon as we kill this bastard."

Aya thought she heard some disappointment in his voice, although she ignored it. "Yah, you're right." She faked a small smile. "Thanks, Tasuki." She pulled away from his grasp that remained on her shoulder and went back towards her room.

The evening went on without any more problems. Chichiri, Miaka, and Cat were in a conversation about their different cultures during dinner while Tasuki and Houki-sama were going over their departure the next day. Aya was making sure to eat her fill of meat available before they set off on another journey full of soup, vegetables, and plenty of fish.

"The trade route will be the best way of travel. Although you had gone by ship last time, since we are not at war it should be fine to head by horseback. Also, we do not want any troubles like you had last time… it's the best solution." The Empress was saying to the fiery bandit.

"Sounds loads better than the sea," Tasuki muttered, then bowed his head formally. "We'll take the advice. As far as demons are concerned, most we can take care of." He tapped his tessen in its holster, strapped to his back.

Aya pitched in on one or two things, but otherwise kept silent. When Houki-sama excused herself, she had been one of the first to leave afterwards. She went into her room and immediately let out a ragged breathe and dropped her tensed shoulders.

"What's wrong with me," she cursed to herself and then flopped onto her bed. Maybe she would wake up again and find it all had just been one strange dream. Somehow she doubted it.

When there was a knock on her door, she guessed that it must have been Cat with another talk ready. She told the visitor to come in, but when she rolled her head to one side and found Tasuki closing the door behind him, she bolted up.

"What are you doing here?" She asked suspiciously. She searched his person but found no fruit on him this time.

The man shrugged, "You always barge into my room unannounced. I can't come visit ya, though?" He moved one of her chairs and sat down on it.

Aya shifted uncomfortably. She tugged on some of her hair while sitting on the edge of her bed. "You got a point.. so, what did I do this time?"

Tasuki stared at her, trying to read her blank face. "I was jus' wondering why ya weren't sneaking into my room… Ya had the best opportunities recently, even after I gave ya the peaches."

"So you're inviting me in, now?" Aya raised an eyebrow, trying to suppress the smirk.

"Hell no!" Tasuki replied instantly. "I was jus'… y'know, worried 'bout ya." He stood up from the chair, ready to leave without another word.

Aya, by instinct, reached out enough to grab his sleeve. "Wait… Why don't you stay here tonight? There's plenty of room." She nearly hit her head at the way that came out. "Or… I mean, if you want to have some company and chat a bit."

The bandit stared at her a moment, then smirked. "So, you're still a hentai after all." That earned him a whack on his arm. "But if ya feel a bit lonely… I don' mind stayin a bit." He took his seat back. "So, how 'bout ya tell me a bit 'bout your home. Chichiri got all the details from Cat it seems."

Aya smiled, the first time in awhile. "If you feel up to it… Come, take the bed, there's room." She shifted to the other side and patted the spot she left. The seishi frowned at her, not taking in the invitation. "Fine," she said, disappointed. "Well… first, there's my cat."

The next hour consisted of Aya trying to convince Tasuki that her Snickers was the best friend she ever had. She tried to explain her heritage and the different countries her parents originated from, as well as America and the whole college experience. What the bandit actually took in, she never did know. Tasuki ended up falling asleep in the chair, but with his hair resting on her bed. Aya was curled up far from him this time.

The next day Tasuki awoke to find himself in Aya's room. He sleepily got to his feet, ready to leave and get ready for the journey that awaited them. But just as he was leaving he heard Aya call out his name. He quickly turned towards her and found her soundly asleep.

_Must've been dreamin..._ He thought as he watched her shift in her bed.

Soon there after he left the room. Just as he was closing the door behind him he caught sight of Chichiri who was walking towards him. He seemed to have been up for quite some time since he wasn't suffering from grogginess as the bandit was.

"Morning, no da." The monk cheerfully said as he finally came up to his friend.

He seemed to hold a rather amused look in his eyes. Tasuki shifted uncomfortably and gave his own 'mornin' in reply. He knew that the monk must have been amused by the fact that the bandit was leaving Aya's room after apparently having spent the night there.

But Chichiri didn't voice these thoughts, if he indeed he thought them at all. Instead he told his friend that they should get ready and let the girls sleep for a bit more.

"This journey is going to be even more taxing then the last, no da. Its best if they can get as much rest as they can in real beds for now, na no da."

But at the sound of Chichiri's voice just outside her room, Cat awoke. She soon got dressed and left her room. The two friends were still discussing some things when she exited, she greeted them brightly.

"Good morning Tasuki kun, Chichiri san!" She smiled as she closed the door. She was hoping to take a final bath before leaving Eiyo.

"How the hell are ya so cheery this early?" The bandit asked as he examined the short girl. She never seemed to lack any enthusiasm. _Kinda like Miaka... _

"Well... I dont know really. But it's better than being depressed isn't it?" She asked with a smile.

Chichiri gave off his own smile when he saw the girl so happy. He was glad that she was back to her usual self.

After exchanging a few more words, Cat excused herself and made her way to the baths.

Aya awoke late in the morning. She quickly sat up and searched for the bandit. She had wondered if what had happened the previous night had been a dream. When she found the room empty she let out a sigh but then saw that the chair was placed in a different position than usual.

Her eyes brightened. _So he did stay the night!_

She then got ready for their departure, leaving a few things behind that she wouldn't need from now on. Her bag was lighter and easier to travel with now that she had taken out her fencing gear. She knew they'd return to Eiyo someday, so she'd leave it in the care of Houki-sama.

After packing Aya emerged from her room and went over to Cat's, but she wasn't in. She then closed the sliding doors and decided to roam around the palace before they had to leave.

She soon came upon Miaka and Chichiri who were talking under a pavilion on the pond's shore. Miaka perked up when she saw the Seriyuu girl and gave off a resounding greeting and beckoned her to them.

Aya accepted and sat down with them. She was now feeling a bit kinder towards the miko and soon began conversing with the two. After about twenty minutes or so Tasuki joined the group. They all enjoyed the conversation but soon Aya began wondering where Cat was.

Cat at that moment was just walking along the willow tree that she so loved. Tama followed closely at her heels as she hummed and thought of what a wonderful day it was. Right then something in the water caught her eye. _A fish!! There really are fish here! _She kneeled down to get a closer look and saw a few fish swimming about and enjoying an early afternoon snack of some water bugs.

But Cat wasn't able to enjoy the discovery for long. At that moment another person fell in to Konan.. and on top of Cat. A loud cry caught the attention of the group. Soon after the Seishi headed off towards the sound followed by Aya and then Miaka. When they got to the scene of the incident they found a rather amusing sight.

Cat was pinned under Taka who had fallen on her and was not aware of his sitting on the girl. She was having some trouble breathing since the large man was calmly seated on her.

"T-TAKA!" Miaka cried out in joy as she ran towards him.

Taka in turn got to his feet and ran towards his love, leaving Cat to recuperate. Aya began to laugh as she saw Cat lying their after having been squashed, she knew the feeling.

"Are you alright, no da?!" A concerned Chichiri asked as he helped Cat to her feet.

"Oh I'm fine thanks!" Taka responded, having thought the monk had directed those statements to him.

Cat simply nodded her head yes in reply. She watched as the reincarnation of Tamahome hugged the miko as if his life depended on it. She remembered when she had liked him the best... that is until he became Taka... She was now glad that she had realized how great Chichiri was.

Aya restrained herself from whacking Taka over the head as she watched the ordeal take place. But luckily she didn't have to control herself too long.

"Taka we were just getting ready to leave to Hokkan, no da." Chichiri informed the man.

"Ya, we need ta git goin soon if we want ta make any progress." The bandit added from his place.

His face seemed to have dropped a bit at the arrival of Taka, but not as much as Aya had expected. She was very relieved that he had finally arrived, now Miaka wouldn't have the chance to steal her man since her's was here. She held a small grin, _Oh yeah, I'm back in the game! _

After introducing Cat and Aya, and Taka apologizing to Cat, the group set off after making a few adjustments. They set out later than they had hoped and now instead of clear skies, storm clouds gathered over their heads.

Cat halted her horse and looked back while the rest of the group continued moving onwards. She turned in her saddle and looked back at the palace, giving off a soft sigh. She had really enjoyed meeting Houki-sama and Boushin-sama...

Aya had noticed her friend's absence.

"Hey Cat!" She called her out of the trance like state.

The girl moved towards the emissary of Suzaku.

"Don't stay behind like that... you know things are going to get rough from now on."

Aya scanned her friends face as she talked to her. The rest of the group had continued on, not noticing the two girls had halted. Cat soon got herself together when she saw the group getting farther and farther.

"Let's go!" She said happily as she kicked her horse on its sides. The mare set off and Aya did the same.

As soon as the girls joined the others, a light rain began to fall from the sky.


	9. Chapter 9

Watase Yuu owns Fushigi Yuugi

Cat and Aya own themselves

Guess we're even, lol

* * *

**Chapter 9**

Everyone traveled on uncomfortably, trying to keep a good pace even in the rain. Fortunately, it was not too heavy. Unfortunately, they were all already soaked and miserable.

Aya, for one, hated being soaked and miserable, and she let everyone know that. She constantly complained, even if Cat was the only one to hear it most of the time. "… and my underwear is wet, most likely all our clothes in the bags are wet and—ah, crap, our textbooks, anything with paper." She sniffed, then used one hand to push the hair away from her face. "Can we find a place to stop yet?" She shouted over to those up front, which consisted at the moment of the Suzaku no shichiseishi.

Tasuki turned back in his saddle, since he was the closest, but not by much. "C'mon, we've barely been out for long! Ya gotta do better than that!"

"We'll rest at the inn in the next town, no da!" Chichiri put in. He then continued to chat with Taka.

"Keh," Aya said and slumped back into her saddle.

"This is really bad weather to travel in… but the sooner we get to Hokkan, the better." Miaka said. Cat agreed with her. "And it's really nice! There's snow, and-" The priestess stopped right there when the Sieryuu girl's face darkened.

Cat learned over closer to Miaka. "She hates the cold."

The conversation then ended.

Several days passed, and their trip remained just as ominous. They could feel that the closer they got to the borders, the closer they were getting to some major trouble. They were still weeks away from actually getting to their destination, but the bleak weather was already causing problems.

"It should start clearing up by tomorrow," Taka was saying, staring out the window of the inn they had stopped at in a small village. He turned back to the group. "I had been wondering… Do you think that Yui was also brought back here?"

At that, Miaka perked up. "That's right! If I was called here because I am the Suzaku no miko, then Yui-chan must be here as well…" She then turned towards Aya. "Can you sense her, being part of Seiryuu?"

The short girl stared at the Japanese brunette. "Sense her? Um…. no." She said bluntly, enjoying a warm bun.

The Suzaku no miko sighed. "If she is here, I hope she is fine."

"Don't worry, no da. There are no present wars and the demons are known to be concentrated in the north, no da. I am sure she is fine…" Chichiri tried to comfort her.

Taka placed a hand on his beloved's arm, smiling. From the corner of their eyes, Cat and Aya watched. There was just a spark of jealousy there, since the two of them had been proving their ever perfect love since the start of the journey.

_Wish I had something like that… _Cat inwardly sighed, her eyes passing briefly to the monk seishi. _No, that will never happen._

Once they had finished their meal, everyone left to their rooms. Taka and Miaka obviously shared a room right next to the staircase, then the other two seishi and the two college students had their rooms around the corner and at the end of the hall, right next to each other.

Aya and Cat set their belongings down, each taking a bed. They fell onto the mattress and stayed there for a few minutes in silence.

Cat first broke it. "Is it just me, or is it depressing to watch those two?"

Aya knew who she was talking about. She flipped onto her back, staring up at the ceiling. "It's not you…" She snorted loudly. "It's like rubbing it into our face."

"What's wrong with us?" Cat asked, a question she had asked way too often.

"Nothing," Aya muttered. "Guys are just… jerks." Common answer.

They stayed silent for another few minutes, then both simultaneously flipped up to sit on the edge of their beds and start complaining.

"They're insensitive, they don't understand a thing… they'd go out with the worst bitch you knew back in high school but won't pay any attention to you…"

From the room next door, Tasuki was pressing his ear against the wall, forehead scrunched up as he tried to listen. The voices rose in pitch on the other side. "Oi… Oi, Chiri, I think they're insultin' me."

The monk looked over from the map he was studying on the table. "Stop spying on them, Tasuki, no da. It's not nice." He winced when the girls agreed on something, shouting off to some unknown person about their lack of a life. "I guess it is a bit difficult not to, na no da."

The fiery bandit backed up, the rise in volume allowing him to listen to the clearer banter coming from the next room. "Ya think they ate somethin' funny?" He removed his tunic, leaving his undershirt, and tossed it onto their bed. "Wommin, I can' understand 'em. They're too confusin'."

Chichiri stared at his friend, before replying. "Have you ever thought that you're just a bit dense, no da?"

"'M not dense!" Tasuki shouted. _Where did that come from?_ He glared at the wall.

"_I know_!" Aya whined. "And don't you hate it when they go out with everyone imaginable, even your fuckin' friends _except _with you? I mean, it's not like I'd accept or anything, but what an ass! They'd ask anything on two legs and if it had even a remotely looking feminine figure." She was ranting, and she knew it. But she was riled up and she was going to insult the male species until she got a headache. She continued, attacking every point she could think of, mostly dealing with their stupidity.

Cat joined her, attacking the guy she lacked back in high school as well.

"I know! I can't believe I ever fell for that jerk!" Cat bellowed as her rage built up. She was usually such a clam person too...

"I can't believe I actually told him that I liked him! And what's worse is that he told me he liked me too but never broke up with his sluty girlfriend! I mean she was cheating on him and everything! I can't believe him, the more I think about it, the more upset I get! I'll never like anyone ever again!" She stopped and regained her breathe, having lost most of it during her consecutive man hating speech. After a while of not yelling at the top of her lungs, she began to compose herself once more.

"I mean...Why can't I just find a good guy? I'd be so dedicated and I'd **never** cheat on him! It's like everyone in the world deserves someone except me." She turned to her friend with teary eyes, seeking some sort of comfort.

"I'm nineteen and I've never even been asked out once! Or kissed!" She then flopped down on the bed, letting this depressing thought sink in. But it wasn't long before she got worked up again when a vision of the boy she once liked came back into play. "If I ever meet him again... I'm gonna spray some mace right in his eyes! Cause him to go blind! He'll regret playing with me like that! That Jackass, urg I hate him!"

From the other side, Tasuki and Chichiri grew pale… Aya's and Cat's voice was being carried across the wall easily.

"I swear, if I see that son of a bitch again, I'll castrate him with a rusted spoon. I'll make him feel the pain, he'll know not to mess with any bitch like me ever again. I'll hunt him down, hurt him SO bad that he won' be able to walk for a month… much less get up. I'll remove every limb from his body… starting with his most important one." Aya was squeezing the life out of her pillow, eyes practically turning red. She was lost in her own world when suddenly something crashed at their door.

Both girls jumped from their beds and stared as the door swung open, revealing two white-faced seishi. "Dammit, woman!" Tasuki was gasping. "What'd we ever do ta ya?"

"H-how about going to sleep, no da. We still have a long trip to go, no da, " Chichiri tried to persuade the girls.

Cat immediately composed herself and realized that they had been screaming at the top of their lungs... and the Seishi were on the other side of the wall. She could barely bring herself to look up at the two.

"S-sorry about the noise... I mean we didn't mean _you_ two." Cat blushed from embarrassment as she forced the sentence out.

If she had ever not wanted one thing to happen it was having Chichiri view her as some psycho man hating girl. And she had just succeeded at doing it.

Aya was rather shocked that Tasuki had barged in like that. She started to regret her statements that generalized all of mankind... _But its so true! _

"Ya, it wasn't aimed at you two... it's just that, well..." She tried to think of how to phrase it exactly, but she was at a loss.

"I guess we're just a bit tired and homesick, please excuse us!" Cat filled in for her friend.

"We'll go to sleep now, good night!" She then buried herself under the covers so as not to be seen by anyone, especially Chichiri.

After a moment of examining the girls Chichiri convinced his friend to leave them be. Tasuki threw one last disgruntled look at Aya who was still defiantly watching him without too much regret for her words.

The next day they all set out again, but this time it was rather quiet. Cat and Aya said little to each other while Tasuki and Chichiri still thought about the girls' comments. Miaka and Taka were the only two that held any sort of conversation.

Finally they all began to feel a bit more comfortable around each other after breaking for their mid day meal. Cat was still very shy around the two and was apologizing even more than usual. Aya just kept far from them.

"Things aren't going very well for us again" Cat said to her friend as they rode side by side.

Aya looked over to her and found that she wore a very crushed expression. She knew she was referring to the Seishi. She tried thinking of something positive to say, something that would make her friend and herself crack a smile... but nothing came. Instead she just rode in silence, hoping that things would get better.

The girls continued their travels in silence. A week had gone by since the inn incident and they now traveled inside of a heavily forested area. The trees grew so large that they blocked out the sunlight with their branches. But still some light managed to shine through.

The group had finally come to halt and started making camp for the night. Cat and Miaka had gone off in search of some water while Aya and Taka looked for fire wood. Tasuki was assigned with hunting duties and Chichiri foraged for some vegetables.

Miaka and Cat were becoming good friends at a rapid pace. The two girls talked happily as they walked along, both discussing things from their worlds. The miko was merrily telling the emissary of Suzaku about her family when their bonding time was soon interrupted.

"Miaka watch out!" Cat yelled as she pushed the miko down to the forest floor.

A large snake like head had just tried to devour the Suzaku no miko. As Cat and Miaka watched the creature it was soon revealed that it not only had one head... but three. The two girls stared up at its many eyes in horror; it was getting ready to eat the both of them. It had an uncanny resemblance to the hydra of mythical legends.

Cat grabbed a hold of Miaka and began to run through the forest, dodging trees and jumping over downed logs as best she could. "Come on!" She yelled as she held tightly onto the priestess's hand. Miaka turned her head back to see that the creature was trying to follow, but having some trouble since its body was large, still it was gaining on them.

They ran through the dense debris that littered the forest floor, trying to find a safe place to hide. Finally Cat spotted a downed tree which would serve as some sort of protection... but only for one person. She shoved Miaka inside, having felt an urge to protect the miko. Miaka began to protest but Cat soon silenced her.

"I'll be fine; you just stay here and keep quiet. I'm going to try and get the others." She then flashed her a smile, trying to prove that she'd be okay, and set off.

Taka sensed something was wrong along with Chichiri and Tasuki. Their connection to the miko was incredible. But sadly they didn't know where the girls were exactly. They all set off on their own, along with Aya, trying to find them.

"What's going on!" Aya questioned as she ran after Taka.

But he didn't answer, his attention was turned to finding Miaka.

Cat ran through the forest as fast as she could, not turning around to see the how close the creature was for fear of tripping and being devoured. She could hear the footsteps of the monster running after her at a quickening speed, the were entering a less dense part of the forest. She knew that it would catch up to her soon so she decided to try and find a place to hide instead of continuing. But there weren't any places available.

While Cat stood pondering for a few seconds as to what she should do next, the hydra finally caught up to her. It sent one of its head towards her, mouth wide open and ready to devour her. Cat tried running out of the way but succeeded in tripping and falling on the ground. Even though this had saved her, the creature was ready to strike yet again, and this time it wasn't going to miss.

She closed her eyes as she saw the hydra rear back its head, ready to strike at any second.

_I'm done for!_

But right before she could become the hydra's late afternoon snack, she was saved.

"Rekka Shinen!" Tasuki roared as he sent a jet of flames towards the monster.

The fire covered its body, something that would have killed any person, but for some reason this wasn't enough. The creature was damaged, but it still kept going. Now its attention was drawn to the fire bandit who stood puzzled, tessen still in his outstretch right hand.

Cat jumped to her feet, trying to think of what to do. Why hadn't the flames from the tessen burnt the hydra to a crisp? _But according to legend they were burnt to death by Hercules, why isn't it working now! Maybe it takes a few times?_

"Tasuki kun, try it again! Aim for the heads!" Cat yelled at the bandit as he stood dumbfounded.

"It ain't gonna work!" He replied as he turned to face the girl.

Big mistake. The creature lunged one of its heads towards him, Tasuki barely made it out of the way. The creature became more and more determined with each time it missed its prey. It now sent out two heads towards the bandit, blocking his escape. Luckily at that moment Chichiri had appeared. He created a barrier as best as he could, protecting his fellow Seishi from a rather painful death.

Right after that Aya and Taka emerged from the brush. They arrived at a rather interesting scene. The hydra had just backed up, puzzled at the fact that it hadn't been able to eat the man. It threw its heads up in the air, furious at the fact that it still hadn't managed to eat a single person.

"Tasuki kun, do it now! The only way to kill it is by burning off its heads!" Cat stated yet again as the creature turned towards the source of the noise.

Gen chan decided to give it another go and used his tessen yet again. This time the effects were more obvious. The creature gave off a cry as its heads remained on fire for a bit. It began to grow out of control, swing its heads around and launching it in every direction. The Seishi and the girls dodged the blows as best as they could but eventually they grew tired.

Cat was not the fastest person in the world (nor the most graceful) and she soon found herself cornered by two heads. Their red eyes glared down at the girl as she tried to think of a way out of the situation. The creature kept the others at bay with its final head. Snapping fiercely at Tasuki, trying to prevent him from using his flames. Aya couldn't stand and watch her friend get eaten. She soon changed into her animalistic form and set off towards the creature. She sliced off its head with a quick blow, but to everyone's dismay two more grew back.

Before she could move out of the way, the creature unleashed a stream of venom from its two gapping mouths. One towards Aya and the other at Taka who was beginning to charge at the animal.

The two fell to the ground, the poison was strong. It began taking effect immediately.

"Oi, are ya alright!" A rather dense and concerned Tasuki asked.

He watched as Aya winced from the pain of the venom, she seemed to be paralyzed along with Taka. He grew enraged at this and sent out yet another volley towards the beast while Chichiri tried to help the two away from the monster.

This time the creature began to fall to the ground. But it grew even more furious. It sent its tail this time towards the bandit, sending him flying into a large tree. He hadn't been expecting this since up until that point the thing had been using only its heads.

The monster immediately turned its attention to the two injured people, easy prey. Chichiri used his shield yet again, protecting them but this time the hydra just kept ramming its heads into the barrier. Chichiri winced from the effort he was using; he could only keep the barrier up for so long. Cat realized this and began making her way towards the group. She didn't really know what she could do, but she had to help somehow!

Right when she reached them, Chichiri's shield was broken by the fierce attacks the hydra had been using for the past minute. It had sent all five heads towards the barrier at the same time. The monk fell back from the impact. The creature knew that it was now or never, it sent all five of its heads towards the group once more but Cat reached them in time. She firmly placed herself between the group and hydra.

_Suzaku lend me your aide!_ She cried out in her mind as she closed her eyes and concentrated on the phoenix. She had recalled him telling her that he would help her in the most dire of circumstances, she figured this situation would qualify.

Chichiri had been ready to push the girl out of the way but when he reopened his eyes he found that there was a new barrier around the group. A strong red glow came from it and he realized that she must have produced it. Cat kept her eyes shut tight in concentration as she continued to ask the god for his help. Her hands placed in the position she had recalled Miaka had used when she tried to summon Suzaku.

The creature was not deterred, though. It kept up the barrage. But its rampage was soon ended when Tasuki re emerged from the woods. He was now very pissed. He put all of his effort into his tessen and took advantage at the fact that the hydra was distracted and hard at work at destroying Cat's barrier.

"REKKA SHINEN!" His cry resounded with twice the strength as before.

Finally the stream of fire singed off the hydra's five heads, each falling to the ground. This time new ones did not appear. Cat finally opened her eyes and the barrier soon faded. She let out a sigh of relief and then turned to Aya and Taka. Tasuki ran up to the group after having made sure the creature was dead.

"Oi, where's Miaka?" He asked the girl as he took up Aya in his arms while Chichiri carried Taka.

"That's right! I completely forgot about her!" Cat said in dismay, the priestess was most likely still where she had left her.

Cat explained where she was and Chichiri set off in search of her, leaving Cat to heal Aya and Tasuki to try and make Taka as comfortable as possible.

Taka was breaking out into a cold sweat and began to have trouble breathing. Tasuki had helped him get as comfortable as possible, using one of their packs to support his head. He glanced back, worried about the other, and found that Cat was nearly done healing her friend.

"Taka!" Miaka cried when she was led in by Chichiri. She ran to his side, tears springing up in her eyes.

Just then, Cat joined the small group around the panting seishi. She looked exhausted already. "Aya is alright now… She's not in any danger, but she will still be weak." She frowned at Taka, struggling to open his eyes. "Don't worry, I'll heal you now."

"Cat, no da! You'll stress yourself out!" Chichiri was at her side. "I'll get something to settle the poison, but you have to rest, no da. You can heal him right after." He pulled her hand away from his friend, too worried for her own health.

Miaka sniffed, grabbing a hold of Taka's hand as he gasped out. "You have to rest too, Taka. We'll get you better in no time."

"I'm fine," he said, weakly.

However, the effort it took for him to say that looked too painful for Cat. She pulled away from Chichiri. "I can do it." she said quickly. Before the others could protest again, her wrist glowed with Suzaku's mark. It appeared as if her powers were starting to weaken the poison when she fainted on top of Taka.

"Cat!" Miaka cried out.

Chichiri frowned as he picked up the small girl from his friend. She had fainted from exhausting her powers; although, she did help Taka into a more peaceful sleep, having weakened the poison.

"Let's fine an inn. There's a village just up ahead," Chichiri calmly stated.

The first thing Aya realized when she awakened was that she was warm. The second thing, was the headache pounding at her temples. She suppressed the groan and turned to her side in the bed. _Bed!_ That caused her eyes to flip open. That was when she noticed the third thing: Tasuki's face was a few inches from her own.

She squeaked, then covered her mouth immediately. Why ruin this moment? As quiet as possible, she lifted her head to look around. Even though it hurt her head extremely, she realized that they were in another inn. Only one bed adorned the small room, and it was already dark outside. She rested her head down again on the pillow, then proceeded to stare at Tasuki's peaceful face.

It did not last long. "Oi, you're s'pose ta be asleep." His voice sounded gruff, still worn out from the trek to the village.

Aya tried not to sound too flustered at being caught. She fought back the blush and tried to glare at him, but that caused her headache to worsen. Instead, she adopted a bored expression. "Really? With you staring at me all night?"

Tasuki snorted, then stood up, trying to look as if he was awake the entire time. He fixed his hair a bit. "Chichiri's got our room to himself with yer friend." At Aya's startled look, he continued. "She tried ta heal Tama afterwards, an' passed out. She's fine, though."

Aya breathed a sigh of relief. She then proceeded to sit up. Tasuki suddenly stopped her. "I'm feeling alright. I just don't want to stay laying down."

"'m under strict orders," Tasuki said. "Gotta keep ya in bed."

"I _am_ in bed. Don't worry." She rested back against the wall, leaning her head back and closing her eyes. "Are we anywhere near this country yet?"

Tasuki sat back down on the chair, leaned back on it against the table, and placed his legs on top of her bed. "About seven or so more days." He studied Aya as she remained silent. "Are ya sure ya alright?"

Aya opened one eye and observed the seishi. She twitched her lips up into a smile. "Are you worried about me, Tas-_chan_?"

The man blushed slightly, then crossed his arms and looked away from her. "Of course. If ya were hurt badly, we wouldn't get 'nywhere! The sooner we kill 'em, the sooner we can all go home."

_Jackass,_ Aya hissed in her mind, but she tried to keep the hurt from her face. Instead, she smiled at him as best as she could. "You're right. And I'm just fine. I can't wait to get home… back to my cat, waiting for me, and my family and.. yah, those other people I know. Back to college, back to such a wonderful life." Her voice was dripping with sarcasm.

Tasuki snorted. "I believe I overheard ya sayin' awhile ago that ya had no life." He barely dodged the attack from the pillow. "That's what ya said!"

Aya suddenly lost her good mood. "So I hate my life, and what? It's not like we get some wish at the end of this road… I'm happy where I am, even if I were dying."

Tasuki stayed silent a moment, then leaned forward onto the bed. "Ya don' mean that, do ya?" He caught Aya's eyes. "I mean, ya don' ever mean it when ya say ya don' care if ya die…"

She was taken aback by his sudden serious attitude. "I…. Tasuki, I really don't know…" She looked down at his hands, which were gripping the side of the bed. She knew his eyes were boring into her soul, trying to figure her out. But she wouldn't be opening that to anyone, not the guy she was in love with or even herself. "I… I guess I am tired."

Tasuki continued to frown as he watched her reposition her pillow and then lay back down. He was slightly confused that she had not asked for him to remain. Instead of leaving, he continued to watch her from the chair.

Down the hall was Miaka and Taka's room. Miaka was having trouble sleeping, but after giving Taka some medicine she was relieved to find that he was not suffering anymore.

Right across from their room, Chichiri was brooding over tea while staring intently at the starry sky from the window of his room. On the bed, Cat was just awakening. She was moving from one side to another, finding the right spot, and refusing to allow consciousness to take full control. At least in her dream, she was having a peaceful moment by the lake with Chichiri. If she opened her eyes now… if she opened her eyes now, school would be waiting.

"Noo," she moaned softly. The soft voice brought the monk's attention back to the occupant he was currently taking care of. He moved by her side, but remained silent. "I don't want to go today… " Reluctantly, Cat opened her eyes to reality… and found Chichiri's smiling mask looking down at her. She bolted up right, which only caused her to get vertigo.

"Be careful, no da," Chichiri said softly. He rested his hands on her shoulder and gently urged her back into a laying position. "How are you feeling, na no da?"

Cat rubbed her eyes. She realized her contacts were still in there. Luckily, they were only dried out. "I'm alright," she answered once her head decided to stop pounding. "How is Taka? And Aya?" At the long silence, she carefully opened her eyes and began to sit up. She began to get worried. "What happened?"

With a sigh, Chichiri slowly removed his mask and stared at her directly. "Cat," he began.

_Uh oh,_ she grew paler at the sudden turn of moods. She sensed he was way too serious, which only meant trouble.

"They are fine," he reassured her immediately. But that did not keep the tense look off her face "You have to stop thinking about others. Stop pushing yourself so hard… you could end up hurt."

Cat looked down at her hands, feeling rather flustered that she was being scolded by Chichiri. "I'm… sorry," she said softly. "I just want to be useful."

Chichiri sighed, but then looked up and forced a smile. A real smile, with his real face. "You _are_ helpful. I- We just can't lose you because you force yourself to take care of us. Everyone really cares about you, no da!" He replaced his mask, trying to cheer her up now. "Aya will have my head if I allowed you to get yourself killed while trying to heal her, na no da! And she's really scary when she's mad!"

Cat couldn't help but giggle at the thought of Aya furiously chasing down a chibi Chichiri. "You're right.. I'm sorry," she then smiled at him.

He nodded his head, happy to see that she was looking better. He then proceeded to go towards the table, where a bowl waited. "There's some cool broth here. Or would you rather like fruit for dinner, no da?"

The next day proved a lot better than the one before. Tasuki, once again, found himself awakening in Aya's room. He left before the girl could wake up and found that Chichiri and Cat were already busy. Taka was feeling better; although he had some lingering effects of the poison, he was healed enough to continue. As promised, Cat was unable to heal him to full capacity until the next day when she built up her energy enough… even if it was tempting to help him on the spot.

Miaka was grateful for the girl's help and happy to see her recovered, which she showed by glomping Cat. The group was soon joined by a groggy Aya (never a morning person) as she muttered something about all the noise. It did not take long to wake her up by another glomping from the Suzaku no Miko.

* * *

Cat:

Wow, finally another fight scene, yay action! They're probably going to be more common since we're getting closer to V and all, so stick around and continue to watch the drama unfold!


	10. Chapter 10

Aya:

Wheee, chapter ten. Not my favorite ; It was hard enough to write... hard enough to post ;P Hope you all enjoy it, cause comments would be seriously appreciated.

Enjoy!

Oh, yah,

Disclaimer: They're not ours. We belong to ourselves, but not the boys. Or Miaka. Or Taka. Or anyone else. Oh wait, V's ours.

**Chapter 10**

One week later, they were just crossing the border. Aya had already begun to feel the chills of Hokkan a day or two prior, while the others were still unaware of it. She took it upon herself to wear a sweater even in the noon of day when it was still nice and warm out.

"Aya, you're sweating. How 'bout not overreacting?" Cat said to her as she rode up next to her friend.

"I'm not overreacting. It's gonna get colder soon anyways.. Might as well be prepared."

Six hours later, everyone ate their words as they found themselves in the middle of a blizzard. The temperature dropped drastically when they kept rising in elevation. They were crossing a chain of mountains, and the weather had taken that day to be one of the worse.

"Over here!" Taka shouted from ahead with Miaka, having found a cave for the night.

They all huddled inside, even Aya who adorned two sweaters and the blanket she had brought with her was shivering… then again, the girl will be cold no matter where she was.

Tasuki made a large fire with his tessen, and they all quietly sat around to warm up.

"Who would have known there would be a storm, no da." Chichiri tried to laugh it off, drying off his kesa and setting his staff aside.

"If we would've stopped at that last village we'd have known," Aya muttered. She glared at the cheerful monk. She discarded the blanket and one sweater, being the closest to the flames.

Cat pulled out her sac which carried some extra food. She pulled out some dried nuts and some fruit. "Here, this is all I have. I guess we'll have to wait until the storm passes to get some real food." She took a pear for herself and passed the rest around.

"I guess we could just sleep it off," Miaka yawned and leaned back into Taka who happily wrapped an arm around her. Unbeknownst to them, three pair of eyes watched them jealously.

Aya was the first to look away from the happy couple, only to catch the look quickly passing across Tasuki's face as he turned away from them. Their eyes caught for a moment, before she pulled away and stared into the fire.

_Oh look, a nice warm fire!_ Aya was saying to herself, distracting her mind. _Wonder why I still feel so bloody cold._

A blanket suddenly dropped onto her head, which made her jump. She stared at the red-haired seishi as he sat down beside her. "Ya still look cold," he said, staring into the fire. Aya stayed silent, which took plenty of effort. "Are ya alright? Ya don' look too good."

_That's easy to explain, but I would rather not._ "I'm fine," she muttered in reply. She tried to look anywhere else in the small cave. Cat and Chichiri were discussing medical herbs this time. Taka and Miaka were sound asleep. The fire was a bit too bright for her eyes. _Traitors, all of you._ She cursed a storm at the fire in her mind.

Tasuki tossed another piece of dried wood in the fire. "So, what's the first thing ya gonna do when ya get home?"

Aya glanced up at him, unable to reply at first. _Is he trying to converse? That's a first… _"I guess figure out if my parents have died… My mom is probably freaking out since I disappeared."

"Oh… sorry 'bout that." He said, then proceeded to rub his neck shyly. "My ma was really annoyin', suffocatin me an' all… One reason I ran away from home."

"You ran away?" Aya smiled. She'd known a bit of Tasuki's past… well, she knew everything she could have known back home. But it was different hearing it from his own mouth.

"Ya, ta become a real man ya had to get 'way from my family." Tasuki then proceeded to explain the horror of growing up in a family with so many female members attacking him.

Aya nodded off to sleep, as much as she hated to admit it, sometime while Tasuki was explaining some of the old journeys they had as Suzaku no shichiseishi. He was retelling it to her through his own eyes.

The next morning, Aya was the lucky one… she had been the first to wake up in a long time. She found herself wrapped in her blanket. The fire had died out at some point and the chilly morning breeze was entering the cave. Strange enough, she wasn't as cold as she thought she would be.

The answer was simple. She was in the proximity of Tasuki. Actually, she had pretty much fallen asleep on him last night. Once again her hair was caught, but this time it was under his torso. Since both of them moved around so much in the middle of the night, it seems that they got themselves into a strange position. She was curled up, fetal-style, with her head resting on his arm. Her hair was caught somewhere under his back, and his legs were trapping her from stretching out completely.

Cat was the next one to awaken. She noticed the clearer day and was about to go out to do some personal business when… "Aya, what'd you get yourself into?" She said as softly as possible when she found her friend trying to pull her hair out from under the bandit.

Aya placed a finger to her mouth, glaring at Cat. "I don' want to wake him," she pretty much mouthed.

The other girl nodded, but was unable to stop the giggle that escaped her.

"Oh, shut up," Aya hissed. "I wasn't the only one getting warmed up last night," she said, in reference to the rather comfortable position she had seen Cat and Chichiri in. They both fell asleep beside each other, against the wall, and shared a blanket. It wasn't as intimate as what she was currently caught in, but enough to make her friend blush.

The others began to stir awake, as well as Tasuki. Fortunately, Aya removed her hair when the bandit shifted. She quickly backed up a bit when he tossed himself closer to her. She would hate to wake him up in a bad temper…

Cat giggled as she headed out of the cave. "I'll be right back… Don't you _do_ anything, Aya."

"What'd that mean?" The girl muttered. She turned around to start packing up some stuff when she found Taka and Miaka staring at her. They were awake. And both of them had a strange look to their eyes…. "What?" She said, trying to sound completely oblivious to everything.

"Nothing," Miaka had a wide grin to her face. Aya did not like that look. "So exactly how long have you been here before we came in?"

The question was innocent enough, but Aya suddenly felt like she was being put to a test. "Um… a month and a half?"

"Good morning, no da," Chichiri said when he realized others were awake beside him. He looked a bit embarrassed as he stood up, stretching.

_Saved by Chiri. Thank you! _Aya smiled up at him. "'Morning."

"Sleep well, no da?"

There was a muffled giggle from Miaka when Taka bat her lightly on the head. Aya turned red.

At that moment, Tasuki took the opportunity to flop onto his back and yawn widely. "Ya all had to wake up this early?" He grumbled, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. When he looked around, everyone was glancing his way… everyone except for Aya. She was trying to busy herself with folding the blanket. "Did I miss somethin'?"

"Oh, not much," Miaka replied cheerfully. She joined the others in putting together a few things. Taka helped her.

Cat returned to the cave and found everyone bustling to leave. With everything packed up, they began to make their way again.

With the skies clear, and the day a little warmed up, and snow on the ground, everyone was in brighter spirits.

Cat and Aya were having the time of their life. They forced everyone to have to lead their mounts as their played in the snow. It was their first time seeing it, after all.

"We have to save time and hurry to the capital, no da," Chichiri finally called to them.

Aya had just tossed a snowball towards Miaka, who was joining in the fun. The priestess ducked out of the way, then turned to look at Chichiri. "Aw, but we were having fun!"

The three reluctantly obeyed and mounted their horses once again. By early afternoon, everyone was once again moving at a slower pace.

Up front, Tasuki's horse was the first to get startled. It reared up and tossed his rider into the snow, then proceeded to run off.

"Tasuki!" Miaka cried. She leapt off the mount she shared with Taka, then ran up to the bruised bandit.

"Miaka, watch out!" Taka cried. His horse was startled next, but so was everyone's. A large tentacle whipped out from the woods, a scythe at the end, aimed directly at the miko. With lightening speed to save his beloved, Taka jumped from the frightened mare and rescued Miaka. Cat was already making her way, afraid that she would have to put her powers to use early into the fight.

Aya crouched into the snow, ready to take on whatever came from the woods. What surprised her first was the size of the thing's bulk. It looked slow, with a large gaping mouth filled with large teeth in a rather round obtuse body. However, the amount of tentacles it had was enough to put its round body aside. It moved on six normal legs, scurrying at a slower pace than the hydra before. The tentacles whipped around, summing up a total of twelve limbs when they were able to count it.

It let out a gurgling sound, sending two scythe-equipped "arms" to where Tasuki fell.

Tasuki, known for his speed, finally recovered and ran out of the way moments before he was impaled.

"Everyone get back, no da!" Chichiri cried. He focused his ki, and launched his attack right when the others regrouped behind the monk. It sliced off two of the tentacles.

The creature let out a scream that shook the trees surrounding them.

"Rekka Shinen!" Tasuki shouted, running off to the side and sending a pillar of flame towards the target.

The creature opened its mouth and spat out some sort of glob, which was caught by the flames. It used the distraction to relocate. Its legs powered it up, and it charged at Tasuki.

Aya did not wait a moment longer. She changed into her other form, and allowed instinct to lead her. She dodged one tentacle, then swiftly leapt atop it and ran up to the creature's body. With an angry cry, she raked her claws across one of its grotesque yellow eyes. It howled and tossed her off, but Aya gracefully landed on her feet not far from Tasuki. The round beast was howling, half blinded and disoriented. It shot out its remaining limbs in all directions.

Although there was enough room between all of them, as they watched it flail and tried to find an opening, it was still not safe. With its scythes, it cut down some of the surrounding trees, one which was nearby to the miko and her guardian. By chance, Cat was nearby and she ran up to them, creating a shield and pushing the tree out of harm's way.

Tasuki relaxed once he saw that danger passed. He was about to use his flame again, raising it above his head when a thick tentacle rushed up at him. It struck him directly, sending him flying off painfully into the distance.

Horrified, Aya tried to run after him, but was blocked by a barrage of attacks from all four arms.

With their priestess being protected by Cat, Chichiri and Taka took the opportunity to attack the main body. Taka powered up and kicked the large beast, which caused it to lose balance. Chichiri then sent out two ki blasts, hoping to rip it apart.

The creature shifted quickly, facing the attack head on and it caught the blast in its mouth

"Tasuki, you alright?" Aya called out, hoping to get him to answer her, she began to run up to him. _Let Chichiri and Taka deal with the demon._

At the moment, what they thought was a victory, proved wrong. It had spat out the ki, aimed to kill the two seishi. The two dodged, and found that the ki-incased globs melted everything where they once stood. Before they could attack, the demon once again threw out more of its thick wads of acid. Chichiri's barrier blocked them, then retaliated with his own attacks, ripping off three more of its limbs.

"Taka, try to remove its legs! Once it can't move, from the back is the only way to kill it, no da!"

Right when they joined together for an attack, the demon proved to have one more ability. It pulled in its remaining legs, and used the sloping hill to roll its body down towards the two unknowing victims.

Aya was reaching the bandit, who appeared to have either sprained or broken a leg, when she found a tentacle in front of her. She turned around, staring at the creature that had quickly come up to them. It's pincer-legs once again stabbed at the ground, and the remaining arms swept up the Seiryuu girl.

It let out a piercing scream, dragging Aya towards its mouth.

Tasuki forgot about his leg, determined to kill the creature. "Rekka shinen!" He shouted as loud as he could. This time, the fire caught the creature's back.

Aya dropped to the ground painfully, but the snow helped soften her fall. She picked herself up, ready to charge and destroy it when the sight caught her dead in her tracks.

The demon's shrill cry as it burned was bad enough, but instead it also began to thrash about wildly as it was being engulfed in the holy flames. Tasuki held his ground, trying to remain upright. Just as its dying cries issued, a worse sound rose in pitch.

"Tasuki! Get away from there!" Chichiri's call came too late.

The ice cracked under his feet, and Tasuki suddenly realized he was standing on a solidified lake. Before he could run to safety, he lost the ground beneath him and fell under the ice.

There was a second of stunned silence, then came Aya's loud shriek. "TASUKI!" Without another thought, she ran to the lake, ready to throw herself in to save him. Strong arms caught her, and she fought against it. "Let me go! Please!" She screamed, using her strength against Taka's.

Cat and Miaka ran up, having been further away from the fight. They saw Aya struggling against Taka, and knew something had gone wrong.

"I got him!" Chichiri said suddenly, drawing their attention. They were stunned to hear the ground crack, ice shattering and then Tasuki's form hovering over to the snow where they were. "Hurry up! We have to get to some shelter and get him warm!"

Aya's face paled when she saw Tasuki sputtering. He was alive, but the color in his face was draining fast, his purple lips already chattering uncontrollably. She was let down by Taka, but refused to run up to him, too stunned.

"I-I saw a cave just up the hill," Cat told Chichiri, who picked up the bandit.

Without another word, the group hurried up and found said cave. It was larger than the one they had previously inhabited, and was set in the wooded area where the demon came from. If it had used the place for its home, it wouldn't have been a surprise.

"Girls, go find some dry firewood if you can, we need to make a fire. Taka, find something to start it with. We have to get him out of his clothes and warm as fast as possible." Chichiri's stern voice brought everyone hustling.

Cat and Miaka set off on their search. Taka began to rummage through his pack to get something. Aya stood there, trying to let the situation sink in, then grabbed her own bag.

"Here," she said. She took out one of her textbooks.

"Isn't that important?" Taka asked. Aya replied by ripping out a few pages and began to set up a fireplace. Taka then proceeded to get a fire started.

Cat and Miaka returned a moment after, when Tasuki was out of his clothes and wrapped in several layers of blankets and clothing. He was lying as close as possible to the fire, his clothes were hung nearby to dry off.

"I'll get some soup ready," Cat mumbled, trying to make herself useful. She took out a sac of food, which had a variety of things to make a good broth.

It was only two minutes, but everyone had busied themselves with doing something. Suddenly, Aya stood up. She made her way towards Chichiri.

Without a word, she began to strip.

"D-daa?" Chichiri, being nearest, turned around, completely startled.

"Aya! What do you think you're doing?" Cat and Miaka cried simultaneously. Their friend had gone mad. "Taka, stop looking!" That came from Miaka as she pushed her boyfriend away from the scene.

Tasuki was trying to stay awake, and at least the sudden outburst helped. He was shivering uncontrollably, and Chichiri moments ago was getting him to talk through his chattering mouth. He couldn't hear the outburst too well, but he figured it out soon enough. Aya pulled aside the blankets, clad only in her underwear, and proceeded to lie down next to the frozen bandit.

"W-w-wat d'ya th-thin ya d-doin?" He tried to speak, teeth chattering and staring at the small girl as she pressed up against him.

"The only thing I can think of doing," she mumbled from his side. "Body warmth."

Everyone else in the room turned bright red, but seeing as how everything had been going beforehand, they figured they'd might as well leave the two alone. Chichiri, seeing that his job was taken, coughed and began to go off to help Cat with the soup.

"Y-ya kiddin!" But Tasuki was having trouble breathing, and he was too cold and tired to speak. Instead, he changed to a more physical form of getting rid of the girl and tried to move his limbs to push her away. It was more difficult than he imagined.

Aya wrapped her arms around the man, even if they did not reach all the way, and she used what energy remained to fight him. "I don't care if you hate me forever after this… I don't care what you think of me." She sniffed, trying to keep tears at bay. "You just have to live." She whispered, burying her head in his chest, trying to keep her hold on him. He had finally quit his struggles and began listening to her. "I don't care, because if you live, I'm happy. I love you too much to lose you to the fucking cold."

The silence in the room told her that she said that aloud… Aya gasped from her spot, suddenly coming to her senses. But she didn't remove herself from the bandit. That would be even more embarrassing. Instead, she kept silent, hoping that her voice was too soft to be heard.

The occupants heard it alright. They spoke in hushed tones, something about 'saw that one coming' and 'finally', but otherwise tried to keep their discussions on something else. They did give the other two their own personal space.

Tasuki remained silent, which made Aya feel even worse. She hoped that he would not see her crying like she was, and tried to keep her sobs as silent as possible. What she had not noticed was that his breathing had calmed to something closer to normal.

Although it had not been too long, Tasuki had been trying to struggle from her grasp enough to exhaust the girl. He realized that her arms weakened their grip, and that her soft sniffs stopped. Having worn herself out, Aya fell into a deep sleep.

Not long after, he was forced to drink some hot tea and broth by Cat. They both tried not to disturbed Aya, allowing her to remain where she was.

Tasuki expected the girl to give him one of her pep talks, try to help him understand the situation, but instead she kneeled silently and waited for him to finish his meal, helping him every so often.

"Aren't ya gonna say sometin" The bandit asked weakly as he fought the sleep from his eyes and watched the dark skinned girl.

Cat brought her gaze up to his; she had been looking at Aya sleeping peacefully next to her Gen chan.

"This is something you need to figure out on your own, Tasuki kun... You already know the answer, I'm sure of that, but you have to decide what you want to do with it now that you know..." She then gave him a small 'you can do it!' smile and left the Seishi to recover after healing his wounded leg.

When the next day dawned, Aya once again was the first to awaken. She drifted just at the edge, trying to recall what occurred the day before.

_Hypothermia._ Her mind told her… _Oh, yah, I'm an idiot._ Her eyes once again stung, not wishing to face the day after what she said the night before. She was sure that everyone must have heard it. It was one of those things that she did without thinking it through… _I'm sure everyone does it._

When she finally realized that she wouldn't be facing the blissful darkness anymore, she allowed herself to fully awaken… and find out that she was where she had placed herself.

She was surprised to find that Tasuki was still beside her, and he was not tossed about in his usual manner. Instead, she felt his chin just above her head, and she was still safely tucked away against him, although he had somehow ended up wrapping his arms around her as well. Although she felt comfortable beyond worlds, Aya slowly tried to extract herself from his embrace.

It was all too strange for her to wind up in that position, even if she was the one that initiated it. Embarrassed, she slipped out and gathered the clothes she removed the night before. She hoped that no one else would wake up for awhile, and seeing that it was just dawn that would be more than likely. She snuck to the back of the cave with a blanket, found a spot on the floor, and proceeded to stare a whole in the rock wall.

Cat awoke right after her friend. She had been restless the entire night. Aya's revelation had not only been heard by Tasuki but also by everyone else. She knew things would be even more uncomfortable between the girl and the group than before. And she also knew that Tasuki would most likely stay away from Aya for a while.

But Cat also knew that this wouldn't last... the way that Tasuki looked at Aya and the way he reacted to her had changed these past few weeks. He was falling for her whether he liked it or not.

Cat walked over to where her friend was with a soft smile, bringing over some hot tea. She sat down in front of the girl and offered the drink to her.

They stayed in quiet companionship for a half hour, Aya nursing her drink and Cat resting her head on her knees which she had tucked close to her body. She sat thinking of Chichiri and wondered when he'd notice her love for him.

She closed her eyes and started to fall into a light sleep when she was suddenly awakened by the sound of the others stirring to consciousness. The first to awaken was Chichiri of course. This time around she had separated herself from the monk and slept near Taka and Miaka. As annoying as it was to stay there, what with all their fawning over one another, she felt it was the wisest move she had made in a while.

She was afraid that after Aya's revelation, the monk would be more aware of her actions, and once he did find out what she felt...

_It'll all be over..._

Aya had finally finished her drink and set out in a hurry, wanting to leave the cave before everyone was fully awake. She had all her things together and loaded up her mare.

After checking on Tasuki, Cat came out after her and made her way to her own horse. She was up in the saddle before anyone, taking this chance to trot a bit before they set off, practicing what she had learned from her horseback riding lessons.

Aya glared at her friend as she watched Cat happily posting, she so hated the English style of riding. But her attention was soon brought back to the present when she noticed that the others were emerging from the cave. She quickly jumped up into her saddle and set off for a bit, coming closer to Cat who had now ceased her posting.

"You know... you did something really brave back there." Cat stated as she finally halted her horse.

Aya blinked back at her friend with a blank face. What in the world was she talking about?

"I mean... you knew that once you said those things, there was no taking them back and that you might get hurt. But you still did it." Her friend's soft smile seemed a bit sad to Aya. "I wish I could be that strong..." Cat ended her statement softly as the others came up to where they were, everyone ready to continue their journey.

Read an' review, people!


	11. Chapter 11

Cat:

Yo!

It's been a while hasn't it? Sorry that this latest chapter took so long to be posted but things have been getting really crazy as of late. We've been flooded with tests and papers and well, they don't write themselves now do they? Also had to get some R&R during Spring Break, even though that proved to be filled with its own wonderful array of trails and tribulations, lol.

But anyways, I really hope you enjoy this new chapter, thanks for being so patient! It will probably take a long time for anything else to be put up since finals are coming up, so sit tight!

**Disclaimer:** Watase Yuu owns Fushigi Yuugi while Cat & Aya own themselves and the characters they create.

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**Chapter 11**

They rode on until they reached the outskirts of Hokkan's capital, Touran. The ride had taken them two days and there was no incident leading up to the city save a few lesser demons here and there.

When they rode closer to city they saw a group of people huddled outside. One of them was a girl wearing the same school uniform that Miaka had.

_Yui!_ Both Cat and Aya thought as the blonde girl turned to face the group. Her blue eyes sparkling when she caught sight of her best friend.

"YUI-CHAN!" Miaka cried as she jumped off her horse. The two girls reunited and embraced for several minutes while the others watched.

Finally, after Miaka had released the girl from her death grip, Yui walked over to the rest of the party. She knew everyone present save the two college students. Cat and Aya sat and watched as the two miko's made their way towards them.

"Yui, this is Cat and Aya. They're also from our world and they're here to help us, oh and Aya represents Seiryuu!" Miaka happily stated.

Cat and Aya each nodded their heads in turn as they were introduced. But when Miaka added her last bit of information Yui's eyes widened with even more joy, she was happy to be around someone that had something to do with Seiryuu. Aya jumped down and took a hold of the miko's hand, she was glad to be with someone that also represented Seiryuu.

But before the reunion could continue their attention was brought to the main gates of Touran, which stood sealed. A dark and ominous feeling could be felt seeping out of the gates... he was defiantly there.

Everyone's eyes were turned to the gate when all of a sudden a blizzard stormed up from no where. Their cries were soon cut off and only the howling wind could be heard. Even though they had all been close together they were now all separated and far from each other.

Miaka stood her ground, hoping that someone would come find her. She tried to shield her eyes as best she could from the stinging snow, but it was no use. After waiting for a few minutes she began panicking, wondering what had happened to everyone else.

"Yui! Taka!" She cried out, trying to raise her voice against the winds.

But the only answer that came was one that she certainly did not want...

"Welcome, Suzaku no miko..." The winds had suddenly been silenced and the cold voice came to her ears.

She swiftly turned to face the person and found a large figure cloaked in black towering over her. Before she could even let out a scream he had already sent a hand towards her. He grasped her slender neck squeezing and waiting until the girl passed out from lack of oxygen.

Chichiri had been fighting the winds and was frantically trying to search for his companions. He drew his kesa close around him and trudged through the knee high snow. He knew this must be the workings of Vereor.

The monk soon halted in his tracks, trying to locate the ki of any of his companions. But he only sensed a weak signal from Tasuki and made his way towards it as quickly as he could. He came to find his friend collapsed on the ground, snow quickly burying his body.

"Tasuki!" Chichiri cried as he ran to his side.

He kneeled on the ground and laid his kesa on his friend. But as soon as he touched him Tasuki vanished. Vereor stood behind the monk and smirked as the Seishi rose to his feet and quickly turned to face him. But Vereor had everything planned from the start. He raised his hand and from it came a thick green fog. The Seishi sprang back but was already affected by the noxious fumes; he soon fell to the ground, unconscious.

Aya and Yui were the only two that had not been separated. They found themselves still holding hands from their early greeting. Only ten minutes had gone by but the girls were nearly frozen, Aya especially. Aya knew that this blizzard was unnatural, and she knew that danger was close. She had mustered up the force to will her body to change, after warning Yui of what would happen, and now stood ready.

But one person, no matter how strong or determined, was no match for the evil that faced them. The girls were soon surrounded by a pack of large wolves. Aya sliced each in half quickly, but was soon tired when there was no end in sight. After her twentieth wolf, she fought the exhaustion as best as she could. Her strength was more of quick attack; she wasn't well suited for drawn out battles where her enemies continued to come at her as if their numbers were infinite.

Amidst the barrage of attacks came a single blow to her back that she had not anticipated. Aya was thrown forward many feet and came to harsh landing in the snow.

"Aya!" Yui cried out to the girl, but she was soon knocked out as well, she didn't even see it coming.

Twenty minutes had now gone by since the start of the ambush. Taka had come to what he thought was a cave and he decided to take a look and see if the others had managed to make it as well.

"Taka!" He heard Miaka cry out to him as soon as he entered.

His face lit up with joy as his beloved's voice reached his ears. He ran further into the cave in search of her, but as soon as he had gone in about twenty feet the entrance caved in. Soon the whole cave was rumbling and large boulders were crashing down all around the reincarnated Seishi. Taka dodged them as best as he could but eventually a large rock hit his head instantly causing him to collapse onto the cave's floor. The rocks ceased to fall as soon as he had fallen.

Tasuki grew enraged at the storm, almost wanting to fight the winds with his bare hands in order to keep them from smacking his badly chapped face. It had been thirty minutes since this whole mess had started and he still couldn't find anyone. He had his tessen in hand, knowing that he was going to have to use it soon.

Vereor decided to just tempt the Seishi, knowing that his tessen was useless since the fierce winds would not allow the fire to reach more than a few inches. He enjoyed playing with lives and minds... that was what he did best.

He appeared before the man, still enveloped in his black cloak. He was a few inches taller than the Seishi and stood only but a few yards away from him.

Even though Tasuki was dense, he wasn't an idiot. He knew this must be Vereor. He tightened his grip on his tessen, getting ready to strike.

The cloaked figure let out a menacing laugh. The winds had not stopped this time, but Tasuki was still able to hear his voice. Evil was written all over this guy...

"Do you plan on standing there? Or are you going to attack me?" The voice taunted as he awaited the Seishi to charge at him.

"REKKA SHINEN!" Was Tasuki's reply to the challenge, but the flames died out before they even reached a few feet.

As soon as he had used his tessen, Vereor had sent out a volley of lightening at the Seishi, shocking him for a good few seconds before sending him flying back and into unconsciousness.

Forty minutes had now gone by, and Cat struggled to maintain herself from collapsing. The bitter cold came into her body through every means possible. She walked on as best as she could, tripping every so often.

_Where did they all go? _

She thought as she lifted herself up yet again from her most recent fall. Her lips were blue and her whole body shivered as she tried to continue her search. She came crashing down onto the snow yet again, but this time she couldn't bring herself up. She had been fighting the blizzard all this time, hoping to find her friends, but she couldn't endure the cold anymore. She felt it seep into her very soul, it was that powerful.

She remained on the ground, losing the battle of maintaining consciousness with every breath she drew.

When Vereor appeared to defeat his last opponent, he found his job already taken care of. He laughed to himself as he watched the pitiful girl on the ground, struggling to survive. He stood there and only had to wait five minutes before she passed out, her breathing now barely noticeable as her body began shutting down from the lack of warmth. He contemplated leaving her there to die, but decided that it would be more entertaining to keep her alive for a bit longer...

Aya awoke to find herself in a cramped cell. She glanced around to find the others also in their individual holding areas surrounded by steel bars. They were set wide enough for a hand to fit through but no more than that. The cells formed a U shape, and all of them were facing a large area that was barren.

Yui, Miaka and Taka were in cells all side by side formed the right side of the 'U', then Aya who was in the middle, and the came Tasuki, Chichiri and finally Cat.

"Hey, Cat wake up already!" Aya called to her friend. She was the only one who had not sat up.

All eyes fell on Cat. Her lips were still tinged with blue from the impact of having stayed outside in a blinding snow storm for nearly fifty minutes. She remained in a deep sleep and would shiver slightly ever so often, her body trying warm itself up again to its normal temperature.

Chichiri slipped his hand between the bars that separated them and reached over to try and stir the girl to consciousness. When he placed his hand on her's he realized how cold she really was. His face displayed his concern as he grabbed her hand and squeezed it slightly, trying to wake her.

But she didn't wake up; she didn't even show the slightest movement from the contact with the warmer object. She only lay their, almost lifeless, eyes closed and breathe inaudible even in the silent room.

_Aw crap... _Aya thought from her corner.

Cat was very ill and she wasn't going to get any better by staying in the room which was freezing itself. She grabbed a hold of a bar and tried to dislodge it with all her might. This action brought Tasuki's attention to her. He watched as the girl struggled against the steel, a futile attempt.

He was about to voice this when the large metal double doors that were the entrance to their quarters swung open. In walked in a man of around six feet and with a slim body. He was very handsome with black hair tied back like Tamahome's 'rat tail' and silver eyes. He gave the room a quick scan and gave off a small smirk. He walked up to Aya's cell and kneeled down, smiling all the while at her.

Aya felt like ripping him to pieces, she knew that he must be Vereor and that it was his fault they had been played with like rag dolls . Her eyes narrowed to slits as the man continued to observe her, he lacked fear of any person and displayed it by staring right into her hazel eyes.

He then got up and walked over to where Cat was still lying motionless. He ignored the Seishi that still held her hand and examined the girl. After giving off a small laugh he stood up to his full height.

"_This_ is what the gods send to kill me? Two helpless little girls?" He asked no one in particular this question as he stood with his back to all of them. His voice was smooth and contained a hint of snobbishness at all times.

"I am Vereor, the one you wish to kill... you have traveled far and bring a rather interesting group... But still you could not defeat me even though there are seven of you and only one of myself." He then let out a long sigh and paused.

Aya was boiling along with Tasuki. She held onto the bars with her hands and squeezed tightly, her knuckles turning white from the pressure she used on the metal. If only there wasn't anything separating them, she would have lunged at him a long time ago.

"Well its no fun if you don't even put up a challenge.. I think I'll let you all out to play." He turned once again to face them with yet another smile, but this one seemed to make him look even more deranged.

"I will release you all and give you the chance of recuperating and fighting me... but you only have one chance. _When_ you fail, I will then take joy in causing you the most agonizing deaths imaginable... starting with the weakest..." He looked directly at Yui and Miaka who sat paralyzed.

He then left them alone in the room once more. As soon as he exited the bars that had separated them from each other vanished.

Chichiri immediately took off his kesa and placed it over the still shivering girl. His first concern was bringing her out of her deep sleep. Sadly there wasn't any warm drink to be had. All he could do was try and keep her warm and comfortable. Soon everyone was trying to think of a way of rousing the girl, Aya most worried off all. She took off a few layers she had been wearing and donated it to her friend's aide, the others did the same. Soon Cat was nearly buried under a large pile of winter clothes.

The others waited for her to awaken, but she continued to sleep. They were finally persuaded to rest by Chichiri who reassured them that he'd watch over her. They all nodded off one by one, not realizing how tired this whole ordeal had left them. Taka and Miaka, Aya and Yui, and Tasuki, off on his own.

Chichiri sat restless as he waited for Cat to finally open her eyes. He would look over her pale face and place her small hand in his every so often, checking to see if she was finally starting to warm up.

After two hours of waiting the monk began to become a bit panicked.

_She should have at least started to get slightly warmer by now, no da._ He told himself as he frowned and looked down on the girl once more.

He had grown very attached to her since her arrival. She was always so kind towards him and everyone, risking her own life for others. She was always ready with a cheerful smile and encouraging words for her friends. Chichiri grew even more deep in thought as he continued to think of these things. Recently he had thought of her more and more...

The monk intently watched her as he continued to ponder these thoughts. Her lips were now nearing their normal shade of soft red rather than the deep blue they had been. Also the color was returning to her copper toned face. He placed his hand on hers once more and was glad to find that it was starting to warm up.

Cat meanwhile was having a very unpleasant dream. She found herself alone in the same blizzard. She continued to trek through the ever falling snow and soon came across Aya and the others. She ran up to them and happily hugged her friend. Aya then proceeded to push her off. This wasn't unusual, since Aya despised hugs, but what was unusual was her that followed.

"Get away from me! God you're so annoying," She angrily shouted. Her eyes filled with loathing as she looked up to the taller girl.

"I'm sorry!" Cat continued to apologize but soon she found that they had left. Chichiri was the only one who had stayed behind. She lifted her tearful gaze up to his eyes, "Thank you, Chichiri" she said with a small smile.

But the monk did not face her; he instead began to walk off in the same direction the others had gone. Cat ran after him and soon caught up to him, grabbing his right hand.

"Please don't leave me!" She begged him with tears in her eyes.

But the monk replied by roughly removing the girl from him and walking off, not even acknowledging her.

The monk noticed that Cat was shifting in her sleep; he intently waited for her to finally come out of her five hour slumber.

"Don't go..." She said softly as she struggled to open her eyes. "Please don't leave me, Chiri..."

Finally she opened her dark brown eyes and found a blurry world. A heavy sigh escaped her lips which were now back to normal. She thought she was alone, not realizing the rather shocked monk who was watching over her.

Why had she called out his name?

He took a minute to finally come back to reality and realize that Cat was now awake.

"Are you alright, no da?" He forced out as she slowly moved her head to better face him.

She gave off a soft smile when she realized that he wasn't an illusion from her dream.

"Thank you... Chiri kun." Was all that she managed out before she fell into another peaceful sleep.

Her face was at peace with a gentle smile on her lips. She left a very confused monk to try and sort out his thoughts for the remaining few hours that they had before they faced Vereor.

Morning came and everyone awoke to find a healthy Cat. She was still rather weak from the whole ordeal, but not nearly as much as she had been before. Aya sat near her now, leaving Chichiri to go off and do whatever he wished.

That afternoon the group fell into deep discussion, they had to figure out something soon. Vereor was still alive, they had to change that.

"The more time we spend waiting to fight him, the weaker we are going to get. We haven't had any food for a day now.." Taka stated as Tasuki and Chichiri nodded their heads in agreement.

"We should attack him tonight, no da." Chichiri added before turning to Aya and Cat. The miko would not be able to help in this situation but the other two girls would.

"We all need to work together this time, no da. That's the only way we will be able to defeat him, na no da."

After this statement the group returned to discussing their plan, assigning roles to each person. They knew that Vereor was most likely overhearing their conversation, but they had to have something planned out.

Finally evening came and they set out, ready to meet the new challenge that awaited them. Cat walked with the two priestesses, having been assigned the role of guarding them.

Finally they reached a large empty room, five times the size of the throne room they had been in Konan. As soon as they all entered the doors behind them closed shut. Tasuki had his tessen drawn while Chichiri held his staff at ready, this time they were ready.

"I see you've finally decided to play." Vereor said as he emerged from a shadow.

This time he didn't have his cloak. He wore only a black tunic and pants. Before anymore discussion could take place two doors opened, one on each side of the group. From it emerged a wide assortment of monsters. They ranged in size and features but they all had one thing in common, they were set on killing them.

The Seishi and Aya set to work destroying the legion that swarmed them. Cat and the miko were also flooded with monsters, the older girl set to work creating a barrier around them, keeping them safe from the barrage.

Even though they fought with every ounce of strength, the demons kept on coming from the doors.

Chichiri decided to try and push through the legion that separated them from Vereor and strike him directly. He called up his ki and sent out an onslaught of blasts. A few reached him and sent the man flying back. But as soon as he got to his feet he retaliated. He sent a volley of lightening towards the monk who was not quick enough to respond. Chichiri flew all the way to where Cat and the miko were. He finally hit the ground and skid to stop right in front of an unbelieving Cat. The others had come to the site; they decided that regrouping would be the wisest choice in this situation.

Tasuki and Aya worked to quickly eliminate the remaining demons. They were no longer emerging from the doors. When they had finished they found that only one was left... a large golem. They tried their best to stop the creature from its slow advance towards the helpless monk, but it didn't work.

It swung at the pair with its gigantic hands and sent them both flying into the stone pillars that surrounded the room. Taka also attempted to stop the beast, but it was no use. He too was sent flying into a pillar.

Now only the three girls remained along with Chichiri who was still lying on the floor, Cat kneeling at his side.

"Get away from here!" Chichiri ordered them.

Yui had to pull Miaka away from the Seishi and to a safe distance, but Cat remained. She watched as the ten foot creature made its way towards them, trying to think of something that would stop it.

"Get out of here, now!" Chichiri told her yet again.

But she didn't move. The creature now raised one of its hands and sent it crashing down on the two. Cat embraced the Seishi as she sent a red barrier up over them. An unbearable crashing sound came from the impact and sent the golem back a bit, he hadn't expected resistance.

Cat winced from the shock her mind had endured, but she continued to concentrate. She wasn't going to let Chichiri die so easily.

The beast continued to bang its hands against the shield, sending a volley of pain into the girls mind. She soon started sweating from the effort she was exerting, it was as if she had been taking part in physical exercise though she had not moved at all. She had never done this for so long. Finally the shield began to crack.

The others were now getting to their feet and saw this; they all ran towards Vereor at once, attacking him as one. He had not expected them to be standing and was knocked back by the sudden attacks. He was not physically strong, he depended on his minions and mental abilities, he decided that it was time to give up.

He summoned a few pitiful monsters in order to be able to vanish without them stopping him.

"He escaped!" Aya cried out as she killed the last of the demons. She watched as a smile crept onto his face right before he disappeared.

But there was no time for conversation; Cat's shield was nearly completely gone.

The creature sent its final attack with both hands together. Chichiri closed his eyes, figuring it was the end. But he soon realized that something had not happened, his death. He reopened his eyes and found that Cat was completely engulfed in a red aura and "Tamashi" glowed a bright red he had never seen before. She placed her hands together as before and finally opened her eyes. The shield then pushed outwards and sliced through the creature.

Pieces of gravel fell to the ground. It was all that remained.

Aya held her bruised side; she slowly limped closer to inspect the pile of rubble. "Is it dead?" She toed a large chunk of the golem that moments earlier had been mercilessly attacking them.

"It's not moving," Miaka tried to answer. She received a good swat from Yui when she picked up a stone. "Hey! But it's dead!"

"We're not sure yet!" The blonde girl shouted fearing the creature would rise again from the debris.

Chichiri, with the help of Taka and Tasuki that had limped over to him, stood up. He stared at Cat, who was looking strangely at her hands and then at the destruction, as if trying to figure out if she had been the cause. "Are you alright, no da?"

Cat snapped to attention. "Y-yes, of course." She stood straight, smiling her good-nature smile. "I feel perfect." She took two steps, before she collapsed. Thankfully, Tasuki had a good grip on his fellow seishi, which allowed Taka to dive fast enough to catch the girl before she hit the ground and did more damage.

"She's out cold," he said once he made sure she was alright.

The group once again checked in at a nearby inn. Chichiri and Tasuki, the two knowingly surviving members of the Suzaku shichiseishi had made an appearance earlier with the emperor.

During dinner, they were more or less seated around a table in the tavern, all except for Cat who was recuperating in her room upstairs. The group looked defeated, bruised, and rather pissed. At least Tasuki and Aya's end.

"Well, we are all alright. From what we heard, Vereor has been sacrificing people from the court all week to his demons." Miaka said quietly, shuddering at the thought of the deaths.

Chichiri nodded, his face solemn. "He was holding all of Touran hostage, blocked off all escape, and was using it as a hostage towards the emperor to give up power, no da. However, Hokkan's army is strong. Being the largest country, Vereor was hoping to gain its power first… of course, that plan now failed though..."

"Because we scared him off? Quite a pushover, if I may say so… He won't be much of a problem whenever we get to face him again," Yui huffed from her corner. She sat next to Aya, at one end of the table. The two had become friends quickly.

Tasuki slammed his fist down, startling everyone. "Dammit! We don' know that! He'd brin' up more of 'em demons next time, an' fuck with our minds."

"Calm down Tasuki, no da." Chichiri placed a hand on his friend's shoulder, but the fiery seishi brushed him off. "We have a way to defeat him if our strength alone does not work, no da."

"What?" Several voices perked up.

_We have a secret weapon or something? _Aya thought to herself.

The monk pointed to the miko, Miaka had been sitting on Yui's other side. "If all else fails, I am sure we can summon the gods, no da. It must be the reason you two were brought here, na no da."

Aya blinked, staring at her god's miko and then Suzaku's. "But what could they do? It's not like the miko can have another wish… and they have already showed up when we were at Taiitsukun's easily. Why do they need their miko to come down to the earth?"

"That wasn't their physical forms, no da." Chichiri explained. "Taiitsukun called them, but it was not the same as if their miko called them, no da. With the extra boost you and Cat give, having some access to the gods' direct power, I believe they could be summoned."

_Ah, makes sense… I think._ Aya was staring holes at the wooden tabletop. She did not feel everyone's eyes upon her. When she gazed up, she stared back at every pair of eyes, her brows knitting together. "What?"

"Well, no da…" Chichiri was looking a bit uncomfortable. "It just came over us… you're the only surviving Seiryuu, which should be posing for _seven_ seishi, na no da."

"So?" Aya was not quite understanding.

"Which means you should have the equivalent power of all Shichiseishi, for when Yui needs to summon Seiryuu…. If that is how it works," Taka clearly explained.

Aya crossed her arms and leaned back in the chair. "I doubt that is how it works, then… I wouldn't have had my assed kicked so easily by that golem if I were."

"Don' know 'bout that… Most Seiryuu were idiots, 'nyways," Tasuki muttered from his side. He tried to keep from flinching at the glares he was receiving, from both Seiryuu girls.

"Well, I'm going to check on Cat, no da," Chichiri got up from his chair, after a long moment of uncomfortable silence between the group.

Miaka and Taka both got up, trying to look inconspicuous. "C'mon, Yui," the Suzaku no miko whispered to her friend.

The blonde Japanese high school student noticed the tense atmosphere that broke out between Tasuki and Aya, looking between the two. "Am I missing something?" She questioned her friend as she was pulled to her feet and dragged towards the stairs.

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Reviews are always appreciated! 


	12. Chapter 12

Aya:

So it's been awhile since we've updated. Sorry about that.. Hope this chapter makes up for the wait. Enjoy, and don't forget to leave us a review.

Disclaimer:

Watase Yuu owns Fushigi Yuugi.

Cat and Aya own themselves and the characters they create.

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Everyone was restless that night at the inn. Aya had excused herself from the table and left to an empty room that they had checked into. _Most likely the boys',_ she told herself. She collapsed on a bed, staring up at the ceiling.

She thought over the recent battle with Vereor, then frowned as an image of the red-haired seishi appeared in her mind.

"Bloody flamin' idiot," she mumbled.

"An' 'ere I brought ya some tea," said idiot stood in her doorway, trying to look a little bit hurt by her comment.

Aya sat up, and glared at him. "I thought you knew I hated tea."

Tasuki, holding a pair of mugs in his hands, nodded firmly. "I know. I lied. I jus' 'eard ya when I was passin' by." He looked as if he was debating if he should step inside and speaking with the enraged girl, but thought better of it. "I'll come check up on ya later," he said before leaving down the hall again.

Across the hall was the other room, and the bandit entered this one more silently. Hunched over the bed on a chair was the monk, staring at the face of the girl resting in bed.

"Don' blame yourself," he said as he handed the monk a mug.

"I told her… She shouldn't have exhausted herself out like that. Maybe I should have trained her. Or we could've remained at Taiitsukun's a little longer." Chichiri too his mask off, staring up at his friend. "It's all my fault."

The bandit gave him a lopsided smile. "Don't blame yourself. 'M sure she would've done it either way." He shrugged. "She's a stubborn girl. Jus' like 'er friend."

The monk did not look too reassured. He nursed his mug, but never drank out of it. Soon enough, he felt a hand rest on his shoulder and he looked up into the amber eyes of the bandit. A silent moment passed, and the corner of his mouth twitched. "Thanks," he mumbled before replacing his mask and then sipping at the cooling tea.

Aya was left with her boiling anger. _Tasuki didn't even apologize! _Or maybe she should have? She grew frustrated, pacing her room. The man had just walked in and out, only to anger her. She looked out the window, watching the stars fill the sky. _Home never looked like that. _Then the short girl let out a deep sigh. Home…

Once again, down the hall, in another room, Cat finally opened her eyes. She stared up first, trying to figure out where she was. She figured that they had taken her to an inn. She finally sat up and glanced around the dark room, her eyes adjusting quickly. There was no one there.

She sighed, a little disappointed. She had hoped to find the smiling face of Chichiri watching over her. _But that's a lot to be asking for... not like he owes me or anything. _He had saved Aya and her countless of times.

After lecturing herself on being grateful, the girl was out of bed. She had taken a moment to gain her senses, and then got to her feet. She walked out of the room, bare foot, and down the hall.

She had no idea where everyone was so she just randomly opened a few doors, after lightly tapping on them of course, making her way down the corridor. Finally she came to one that was occupied.

"Aya?" She blinked back a few times, her friend was obviously not in the best of moods.

"What happened? Hey, is everyone alright? Are you okay, not hurt too badly, are you?" She let the slew of questions run out of her mouth as she made her way to her friend. "Does it hurt? Want me to heal you?" Her hand was already raised, ready to do its handy work.

"Eh? Calm down and quit asking so many questions!" Aya batted the hand away, fearing her friend would collapse if she managed to heal her. "Everyone's fine." She turned silent, mind still set on the bandit. Should she apologize?

Cat watched her friend, quirking an eyebrow at her statement. "Doesn't look like you're fine to me." And with that she took a seat next to her friend.

"Meh."

"_Aya. _What did Tasuki say now?" Cat waited patiently next to her friend, eyes glued to the shorter girl, wondering what had taken place while she had been out.

"Nothing, just being a jerk like always." And it was true, he was being his usual. But something bothered her even more this time.

"Well, I'm sure he'll apologize soon enough." She chirped out from her spot.

Aya glared at her, how did she manage to be so perky after having been knocked out for a few hours? _Weirdo_. But her words had made her stop scowling for a bit. She was right, Tasuki would apologize. Perhaps it was her turn to go first, but in the end, things would work out.

Cat smiled as she watched her friend grow a bit less agitated. An idea crossed her mind and she was up on her feet yet again. "Let's go find everyone! Then you can work things out with Tasuki and I can heal those who need it!" She grabbed her friend by the arm and began pulling her towards the door.

"You crazy! You just woke up, you're gonna kill yourself, fool!" Aya's voice was dripping with annoyance, when was this girl going to learn to give it a rest?

"Fiiiine, I won't heal, just hang around with everyone!" And she didn't give Aya any more time to agree, she simply pulled her out of the room and down the hall.

Cat giggled while Aya tried to free herself, fussing all the way down the corridor. The girls continued this way until something caught their attention. They heard something coming from one of the rooms. They both stood still, Cat having released Aya from her grip, watching the room that the sound had come from.

"What was that?" Cat questioned as she took a step closer to the room.

Aya shrugged a shoulder, but her curiosity was caught. She approached the door slowly. "You know, I think this one is one of our rooms." Another thump and they both looked at each other.

"You think it's Miaka and Yui?" Cat questioned.

"Or Taka and Miaka," Aya chuckled lightly and was about to pass, when two… again, two /male/ voices were heard.

Cat stood, rather shocked at the soft whispers, and was about to knock.

Aya grabbed her hand, putting her ear closer to the door. "Wait," she hissed softly. "Maybe they're talking about us." However, even with her ear pressed up against the door she only heard their muffled voices, and nothing else.

When a crash suddenly resounded across the room, Aya and Cat decided to take action and see what was happening.

They were not mentally prepared for what they saw. Tasuki looked like he had just punched Chichiri. He looked flustered—and drunk—with his undershirt open and boots off. The monk, however, was seated on the bed, and had his mask off, and appeared to have been through an emotional moment. On the ground between the two of them was a shattered vase that was once seated nicely in the table beside the bandit.

"Um," Aya began, looking at the two of them. Her eyes drifted up towards the bandit, expecting him to be furious with whatever was going on. Instead, he looked completely embarrassed.

Chichiri replaced his mask, and stood up from the bed. When he got up, he caught Cat's questioning eyes. "We're sorry to disturb you, no da. We were just discussing something about Vereor, na no da." At least the monk was a better actor. He bowed his head apologetically, averting his eyes from the darker-haired girl's, and moved around them to the exit.

Aya raised a brow at Tasuki, but not voicing anything.

"Ya never 'eared of knockin'?" He huffed out once he regained his composure. He ran a hand through his flaming locks.

The girls stood silent, still stuck to their spot. Cat moved to follow the monk, but thought better of it.

"We're sorry." She stated and then bowed her own head in apology, without another seconds delay she left the scene.

Aya, on the other hand, remained. What had been going on between them? Her eyes were still on the bandit, waiting for something more, an explanation. Tasuki frowned and turned around, avoiding eye contact with the girl. "Are ya just gonna stand there all day?" His frustrated voice made its way to Aya, he was obviously not in the talking mood.

"What was going on?" She knew it wasn't any of her business, but she had to know. Her eyes were still puzzled as she walked into the room, closing the door behind her, and tip toeing past the fragments on the vase on the floor.

The bandit shifted but didn't turn to face her. He couldn't tell her, he hoped she would realize this and go. But Aya wasn't going anywhere. Soon enough she was standing right in front of him, staring at his eyes, there was concern in them now.

"Tasuki, please?"

Finally his amber eyes moved down to the girls face and his expression softened. He let out a sigh as his shoulders slumped.

"Alright, I'll tell ya, but yer not gonna like what yer gonna hear."

Down the hall Chichiri was seated in an empty room, silent, seated on a bed. _Tasuki..._

Cat walked down the hall in a hurried manner, she was worried about the monk but had no intention of pursuing him. The room the monk was occupying still had the door opened, he had forgotten to close it because of his flustered state. She gave a side glance to the dark contents as she walked by and caught the figure of a man. _Chiri? _And she stopped in her tracks, continuing to examine the shape, wondering if it was him.

Soon enough Chichiri realized that he was being observed and began to search for who had their eyes on him. When he realized who it was he winced and looked towards the floor.

"Sorry to bother you, I mean, staring and all..." The girl stated when she realized that she had been spotted. But even though she wished to continue moving forward her feet carried her towards the entrance of the room.

"...Are you alright?" She asked him, her worried eyes trying to catch a glimpse of his face which was unmasked yet again.

He didn't know why, but he felt he had a responsibility to tell her what had happened and how he felt. Things had gotten very complicated over the past few days, but he knew what he had to do. He beckoned her in and waited till she had taken a seat on the bed next to him. He then turned to face her.

"I have something to tell you..."

The color had drained out of Aya's face after the man she had loved for the past few years of her life revealed a secret he had kept locked away in his heart. She took a few steps back, and just shook her head. _How?_

"'M sorry." The bandit offered, but he couldn't help what he felt. Of course he had been torn, but he knew what he had to do. "It's not you or anything..." But he knew that his trying to console her wasn't going to make things better, perhaps it'd make her feel worse.

Without anymore hesitation Aya had run out of the room, leaving the tall man by himself and with his thoughts. She had never thought she would hear those words leave his lips. _All this time, all the things I said, the way I acted!_ Bitter tears escaped her eyes as she ran down the corridor, not sure of where she was going. Her world was collapsing around her. _He must have been laughing at me the whole time! _She didn't know what to do. Run, run! Her mind told her, Don't let your feet stop for a moment! And she obeyed.

Before long she was almost outside of the inn, racing into the frozen streets, not dressed for the cold but not caring. She needed a place to hide, to get away, where the world wouldn't see her tears.

A similar scene was unfolding in the room where Cat and Chichiri were. The girls face displayed her shock as she just stared at the ground. It was too much, too soon. How did it all come down to this? But she didn't say this, or anything, she simply got to her feet and made her way out.

"Excuse me."

Was all that she provided before she left, closing the door behind her softly. She waited a moment and then bolted in much the same fashion Aya had, following the same path at the same speed.

Left behind was the monk. He had gotten to his feet, but had not followed, he knew he had done the right thing. It had to be done, he couldn't keep this masquerade up; it wasn't fair. After waiting a few moments he left the room, going to the one he had left earlier.

He opened the door, glancing at the man who was staring out the window.

"It was the right thing," Chichiri said gently as he approached the red head. "She didn't deserve you lying to her."

Tasuki crossed his arms and leaned against the window, watching as the second girl ran out of the inn and followed the same way that her friend had. "Yah, but it doesn' make it easier, either way."

Cat found Aya panting and under a tree. She was wiping her eyes with the palms of her hands and ignoring her teeth chattering together. Slowly, her friend approached, sniffing lightly. She was less shaken than the Seiryuu girl; mostly because she had yet to tell anything to the monk about how she had felt. _We were so _stupid_ to think that anything would happen._

"Was it the same?" Aya questioned, trying to suppress her tears. "They're _both_ in love with someone else, aren't they?" Her shoulders shuddered a moment.

Cat nodded, really slow. "Y-yes," her voice cracked, and she sank to her knees. "He t-told me. There's s-s-someone else." She then allowed the tears to start flowing.

"Maybe," Aya started, but she stopped for a long time. Too long. Cat thought that the other girl had broken down again into silent tears and refused to continue. When she was going to comfort her, she started again. "Maybe," sniff. "We should go home." She wiped at her eyes again. "You know, look for a way back."

Cat went into a long period of silence herself, their tears running on silent by now. She then turns her dark eyes to her friend and nods. "Yes.. I'm sure my mom is worried enough by now."

Aya, trying to compose herself, clears her eyes once again of tears and begins to fix her hair. She forces a dry laugh. "Guess we better pack up… Tell the guys. Maybe we'll find this Vereor on the way and kill him."

"But they can do it without us… He's not strong," Cat made her point, and they both nodded at that. "I guess all we need to do," she sighed deeply. "is find a way home."

They agreed to their plan and got up from the ground. Cat finally realized her friend was shivering.

"You're such an idiot.. You're going to get sick."

Aya sniffed, shrugging back a shoulder. "I don't care," she said, her tone lacking emotion.

They both walked back slowly to the inn, neither knowing just how long they had been outside, and neither wishing to return anytime soon. But the cold was inching its way through their skin and they needed their rest.

The girls avoided everyone possible, running quickly to the room Tasuki had last been seen in. They wanted to tell them of their plan; they wanted to go home as soon as possible. They finally reached the room, door closed, but they burst through anyways. They looked much better now, tears dry and eyes a bit less red, but when they saw the occupants they got a bit startled. Tasuki and Chichiri were seated facing each other at a small table. The guys blinked back at the sudden crash at their door and the girls blinked back at finding them there, there was an odd aura in the room.

"Knock first!" The bandit cried out, up on his feet and face red. The monk was next to rise, face the same shade.

Aya moved forward, face strained as she put two and two together. "What were you two doing?" But it couldn't be...

"W-we were just talking, no da." The monk tried, avoiding anyone's gaze and looking at the floor instead.

But Aya wasn't fooled, she had a good idea of what the truth was. "Don't give me that! I can't believe you two, how could you!" She was going insane, her worst fear had just come true. All the time she had spent arguing otherwise and here it was. "Why didn't you tell us you were like that?"

Cat was completely lost. What was her friend talking about? "Aya, what do you mean the truth?" She glanced from the fiery brunette to the two men, still blinking, trying to grasp what Aya saw.

Chichiri sighed and decided it was time to fess up. He took a step towards the girls, "The truth is..." but he couldn't say it. He instead looked back to Tasuki.

The bandit reluctantly came to stand next to Chichiri. After a few seconds of stalling he finally let out his voice. "We're in love… with each other.."

Silence.

"Oh God, I really do turn men gay!" Cat let out as she and Aya stood dumbfounded.

Aya tried to laugh. _Tried_ being the keyword here. It ended in more like a choked gargle. "Like brothers?" Even though she urged them to reveal what she feared, she tried to find another exit.

Tasuki grabbed Chichiri's hand, who looked slightly surprised, and shook his head. "No." He replied sternly. "Like lovers."

The two girls nearly fainted at that remark. They slowly, and very slowly at this, nodded.

Cat, too confused to cry, started. "Well, we…. We decided we will return home." She said slowly, looking at the ground and away from the piercing eyes of the men.

Aya only stared. At one point, her head looked as if it were nodding, but she couldn't really bring herself to it.

"Right, Aya?" Cat asked, looking fearfully into her friend's eyes.

"Right," she replied softly, finally snapping out of it. She pushed the tears back. "Good night." She said to them before turning away and walking out.

Cat followed immediately with her own farewell. The door closed behind the two of them.

However, Tasuki had to put in one last thing before the door shut them out completely, "Next time, knock!"


	13. The Real Chapter 12

**Concerning the previous chapter:**

Cat: So we really didn't think people would believe it that much, and we certainly didn't expect everyone to like the 'twist' either. What am I talking about you ask? The last chapter that was posted was meant to be an April Fool's day joke, Aya posted it on the 1st but for some reason it stated it had been on the 31st of March. Well in either case this is the real chapter 12. Sorry if we upset anyone with our little ploy, just thought it would be kinda funny is all.

**Disclaimer:**

Watase Yuu own Fushigi Yuugi.

Cat and Aya do not own anything except themselves and their characters ( points at Vereor )

* * *

Left behind, the two were trying to look somewhere else. Each felt they had a reason to remain there… Aya picked at her food that went unfinished and Tasuki was trying to find something interesting in his sake.

"You can leave anytime you want to," Aya finally said from her plate.

"I'll leave when 'm through," Tasuki snapped back.

Aya's eye twitched, but kept from retaliating at the remark. Instead, she dropped her fork noisily and pushed her chair back. She got up, heading towards the stairs. As she passed by Tasuki to her destination, a hand reached out and grabbed hold of her sweater. She stared down, finding the connection to be the fiery bandit's. She quickly pulled her arm back, making him let go of her. "I'm full, enjoy your drink." And without looking back she quickly marched up the stairs towards her room.

"Idiot," Aya muttered when she went into her room and fell upon her bed.

"Another fight with Tasuki, no da?"

Chichiri's voice broke through her intense self-loathing. Aya rolled off her bed and fell heavily upon the floor. She stared over the edge towards the other end of the room, where the monk seishi was sitting on a chair beside Cat's bed.

"Why didn't you say anything when I came in?" Aya angrily got up and sat back on her bed.

"I didn't wish to disturb you, no da." He looked a bit embarrassed.

Too late for that." Aya gruffly said as she looked away from the monk.

The room was silent, only the soft breathing of Cat made them realize that they were still awake. The room had a sleepy aura to it, calling its occupants to join the other girl in her slumber.

Aya got to her feet and walked over to Cat. She looked down on her friend and thought to herself of this new power that had been revealed. She had never imagined Cat to be able to possess such strength, she was such a carefree girl who never wanted to harm anyone, and yet she had just destroyed that golem in an incredibly violent manner.

_Didn't think you were capable of something like that..._

Aya continued to observe the girl. She didn't realize that Chichiri was watching her as well. Even though he had his own bruises to think of he was still by her side. He was finding it harder and harder to stay away from the girl. Every time she got sick he wanted to be by her, nursing her back to health.

Cat slowly opened her eyes, but was still asleep. She then displayed one of her very interesting characteristics...

She sat up a bit and stared at the wall in front of her. Chichiri and Aya were about to tell her to rest some more before she spoke.

"I need to go to Criser and drop CHM soon..." She said in a very disappointed voice. In her mind she was talking to her brother, revealing her failure. "Don't tell mom and dad, kay? Oh and I've got to start on that paper for ISS." She then started to remove the blanket that she had over her. She was trying to get out of bed in order to start her assignment.

Aya then realized what to do. Her friend had warned her about this odd sleeping habits.

"Cat, go back to bed right now!" She ordered the disoriented girl.

"Okay." The girl said and then she fell back into bed and quickly regained her place in sleep land.

Aya chuckled slightly as she watched her friend sleep once more. She had never believed her when she told her that she did this. Chichiri, on the other hand, was puzzled. He had little knowledge of what was going on. His face filled with concern yet again, wondering if Cat was now suffering from delusions...

"Its okay, she told me that she does this every once in a while." Aya consoled the monk as she sat on the bed by his chair.

His face came back to a more normal disposition, but she knew he was still worried. She gave off a small smile as she watched him observing her friend. She had never seen him act like this for anyone else... maybe he was finally falling for her?

_Finally, after all this time!_ Aya thought with a smirk.

Cat had been in love with Chichiri even before arriving to Konan. The girls were tired of their mundane lives at their university, both alone. They never felt like they fit in, even with their other friends. Everyone else seemed to enjoy their lives, even though they would have hard times, they still liked waking up in the morning and experiencing what their world had to offer.

Aya and Cat, on the other hand, hated waking up to reality every morning. They cherished every dream, no matter how short or odd, they had about Konan. This was probably the reason they had gotten so close, they both suffered from the same thing.

Aya had been the one to introduce Cat to Fushigi Yuugi not too long ago. After that the girl was hooked, she couldn't stop thinking about it, she wanted to go to Konan. Now they had their wish, but things were so difficult.

She hadn't expected Tasuki to grab her in his arms and declare his undying love for her, but she had thought that by now they would both be getting along...

"He is scared." Chichiri stated softly to Aya.

He had brought his gaze to the brunette after the long pause had caused him to wonder what she was thinking of. He knew that her mind was still on the bandit that was downstairs still brooding over his sake.

Aya looked back over to the Seishi. She had a frown on her face; she didn't want to talk about this. But he continued anyways.

"He has always hated woman, no da. But now he's confused as to why he doesn't feel that way towards you, na no da." The monk tried to explain to the girl. She was now staring at him intently.

Aya scoffed at the monk's statements. She found it hard to believe that Tasuki felt anything besides hatred towards her.

"He couldn't care less if I died and you know it. That man doesn't feel anything for me and that's fine by me." Aya tried to sound as tough as she could.

But it didn't hide her hurt expression. Chichiri placed a gentle hand on her shoulder and gave her a light encouraging squeeze.

"You know that he cares about you, no da." The Seishi softly used this as his closing argument. He had made his point.

After a few seconds of this Aya excused herself. Before she left she ordered him to watch over Cat and threatened a very painful consequence if he didn't fulfill his role. Aya then made her way out of the room, not sure of where she was going, closing the door behind her.

Tasuki still sat at the table, still looking at his sake which he hadn't touched since Aya had left. His mind kept replaying the scene that had taken place between them. Why had he reached out to her? And why had she pulled away? He still didn't know how he should react to the girl's statements about the way she felt... and it wasn't because he hadn't given it any thought. He had been dwelling on this since she had said it.

The truth was that he had started to feel something for her that he himself didn't fully understand. He woke up every morning waiting for her to be lying next to him with a sly grin on her face, and when she wasn't there, he felt odd...

He knew that this was a very new situation since before his depression could easily be cured by a good bottle of sake and a trip to the brothel, but now he couldn't even look at another woman without thinking of her...

_What the hell is wrong wit me?_ He wondered as he slammed his fist on the table. At that moment Aya had been descending the stairs. She stood still as she watched him, curious as to what was on the bandit's mind.

Meanwhile Taka, Miaka and Yui talked about the Seishi and the girl. They each had their theory on what was going on.

"I knew from the start that Aya was in love with Tasuki, it's just so obvious from the way she acts around him!" Miaka said with a smile.

She thought that they made a very cute couple and she was pleased that Tasuki now had someone in his life, even though the bandit hadn't conceded to love yet.

"It is pretty obvious, I mean, it's not like she tried to hide it or anything... " Taka added his two cents while the group continued to discuss how they knew that the two held feelings for one another.

"If you ask me, I think they make a good couple. I mean, Aya will defiantly keep him on track if you know what I mean." Yui said this with a small laugh. She had only known the representative of Seiryuu for a little bit, but she pretty much had a good understanding of her.

The group continued to discuss Aya and Tasuki for quite some time. They decided that this was a good way in passing the time they had before Cat could wake up and heal everyone that had gotten hurt in the recent battle. Some way down the narrow stone corridor, Chichiri continued his watch over Cat.

Out of the whole group, he had been the one to suffer the most. His body ached from the impact of Vereor's attack, but he still sat in the hard chair. He felt it was his duty to look after the girl.

When they had first arrived in Konan, it had seemed like an unspoken agreement. Tasuki looked after Aya and he looked after Cat.

The girls had definitely changed their lives.

Tasuki had gone back to his group of bandits after helping the miko defeat the evil which threatened their land. He was happy to be able to return to his men and enjoy life as it had been. But Chichiri had nothing to return to.

He was a wandering monk.

He didn't have a family or a home. After Miaka and Taka had left Konan he had continued in his journeys. Life didn't hold the same excitement for him as it did for the bandit. Now he couldn't even think about returning to the same life style he had had. He didn't know why exactly, but things were now different.

"Happy Christmas." Cat was now awake.

Her brown eyes were a bit dull, but she was feeling a lot better. She held her usual smile and watched the monk while she lay on the bed. Chichiri came out of his thoughts and looked down at the girl. He had no idea what she was talking about but he was glad she was awake.

"Oh, I forgot, I'm not home." Cat said in a sad voice, the words barely making it out of her mouth.

The Seishi continued to examine the girl in her depressive state. A shadow had gone over her face when she realized that she was still in Konan. He was trying to think of something to say when she spoke again. She was now lying on her side and staring up at him, her brown eyes somewhat more vivid now.

"This year was going to be my first Christmas where I would have to travel home to be with everyone. I was really excited. I wanted to be part of it, the large group of Americans that have to travel hours to get home and be able to share the day with their loved ones..." She continued while her eyes met with the monk's again.

She was now fully awake and she had energy to spare. She began to play with her necklace, soon placing the pendant in her mouth and moving it around idly as she stared off towards the wall. She did this every so often, usually when she was thinking of something. Chichiri watched as he wondered why she had never taken off the necklace since she had arrived. Aya would take off her black and white bead bracelet every night but Cat always left her white bead bracelet and necklace on.

Cat finally realized that the monk was observing her actions. She took off her necklace and handed it to him. It was a small cross with Celtic knots forming the cross on the iron while a small white gem was in the middle.

She had strung it on a piece of black string and wore it every day. Chichiri examined the jewelry while Cat explained her religious beliefs to him and why she wore it. After she had placed the necklace around her neck yet again she began talking about her white bracelet.

"I never take them off because I feel safe with them... they're kind of like my good luck charms."

They continued their conversation for well over an hour. Cat told Chichiri about all the holidays they celebrated in America and she also explained Christianity to him as best as she could. Before long she was sitting up straight and asking him to let her heal him.

"You got seriously hurt yesterday, please let me help you!" She pleaded yet again.

Every time she asked him to let her use her powers he would firmly tell her that she wasn't recovered enough to. Cat, of course, didn't care about her own health. She wouldn't be able to rest knowing that others were waiting for her to get better so that they could get healed, especially Chiri kun.

"You are not ready yet, no da. You have gone through a lot these past few days." He sighed as he thought back to all these past events.

She had healed so much recently. After the attack by the hydra's she hadn't had a moments rest. She kept pushing herself, even after she had suffered from severe hypothermia. She had saved his life the very next day. And now she wanted to heal him, yet again overlooking her own health for that of everyone else...

Silence filled the room as the two looked off in different direction, a slight sense of tension filled the atmosphere.

"Why do you always stop me from helping?" Cat finally spoke up again.

The room was silent. She was looking down at her hands as she sat in frustration. She felt that she was burdening everyone yet again. "You shouldn't be watching over me, you're in worse shape than I am." Cat said with a stronger tone this time. She didn't understand why the Seishi continued to keep her from helping everyone.

Chichiri didn't answer her; he kept silent and looked away from the confused girl. But finally his voice, calm and soothing, came out yet again. "Please get some rest."

"You never stop Aya or the others from using their powers to their full potential... why, why wont you let me do the same!" She couldn't keep composed anymore. She was now out of the bed. She stood on the cold stone ground and watched the Seishi. He was not facing her but she could tell his expression. His body seemed tense as he stood silent. He didn't know how to answer her; he instead excused himself and left the girl alone in the room.

Tasuki continued to think of the fiery brunette while he drank the last of his sake. It was now early evening and the inn was silent. Genrou finally looked up from his drink; he felt that someone was watching him. His amber eyes traveled to the stairs where he caught sight of Aya who was now seated on the steps and watching him intently.

Aya gave a slight jump when she realized that the bandit knew she was staring at him. She quickly got to her feet and ran back up the steps as if her life depended on it. She knew it was childish, but she didn't want to see him. She didn't know what to say and she was scared of what he would tell her concerning his feelings. She couldn't bear for him to tell her that he didn't feel the same way; life would end for her if that happened.

Cat had just emerged from her room. She now looked a lot more energized and contemplated going against Chichiri's will and healing Tasuki. She stood in front of the door that she guessed belonged to the bandit and placed her left hand on the knob, turning it slightly. When she got inside she found that Chichiri was occupying it instead.

He lay on his bed, facing the wall. The girl could tell that he was very tired and was in pain. She winced when she thought of how he had been thrown back and his impact with the floor. She knew that he would get extremely upset if he awoke to find her healing him, but she wanted to help.

She walked over to him and took out a pill she had been carrying with her. There was a pitcher of water on the table and she poured a glassful of it. She then debated whether she should wake the Seishi or just leave the medicine for him.

But the burden of deciding was soon lifted. The monk awoke. He turned to face the girl who had her back to him. He silently watched her as she stood still and pondered something.

He had left her in a rather abrupt manner, he had still wanted to look after her, but didn't know how to respond to her. So he had done the first thing that came to mind, he left.

Cat turned to face the monk and found him to be watching her. She quickly busied herself with the medicine, not saying a word to the man. She was still a bit bitter at the fact that he hadn't allowed her to heal him yet.

"I thought this might help with the pain." She said bluntly, but still her words were not as harsh as she had wished. They still contained concern for his well being. She then walked over to him and handed him the water and the small pill.

Cat then went downstairs to look for Aya. She instead found Gen Chan still seated in the same place he had been all night. He had his head resting on the wooden table and his arms drooped down on either side of him. He was obviously distressed over something.

"You know, you could easily tell her how you feel and get this over with." Cat stated as she sat next to him.

He had been so deep in thought that he hadn't noticed the girl. He was rather shocked that she was up and walking around, he had been sure that his friend would have kept her in bed until morning...

"Why can't you just be honest with her? Is it really that difficult? I mean she even went ahead and revealed how she felt first; I think that's the most difficult part. Now all you have to do is reply." She had looked very stern at first, but now her usual comforting smile was back in place.

She knew that revealing one's feelings was a very difficult thing to do.

"Here, let's practice!" Cat then turned to face the man.

She signaled for him to do the same. He was rather confused but he decided to play along anyways.

"Pretend that I'm Aya and you're going to tell me how you feel about me. Ready?" Cat then waited intently for the bandit to proceed.

Tasuki frowned as he watched the girl. She was definitely nothing like her friend, but he decided to give it a try.

"Oi, Aya... about your feelings and all... I um just wanted ta say that I um... That's it, that's all I've got." Tasuki frowned as he met the girl's gaze.

"This is going to be more difficult than I thought." And a sigh escaped from the girl before she set to work.

They remained there for a good two hours, Cat drilling him on how to state his feelings while Tasuki tried to figure out what his feelings were. It finally came to the point where Cat was about to lose her patience and smack some sense into the Seishi when they made a breakthrough.

"Do you like her?"

"Ya"

"Do you love her?"

"I don know!"

"Alright, let's put it this way. If you don't figure out how you feel about her tonight, you might never be able to tell her and think of how horrible that would be. You have a chance at love here, something that almost everyone in the world wants, and you're letting it slip by because you can't get your thoughts together!" Cat grabbed the bandit by the shoulders and shook him, trying to get some sense into that brain of his.

"If you don't tell her now, you're going to regret it for the rest of your life! Some other guy is going to come along and sweep her off her feet eventually and you're going to be left alone! NOW DO YOU LOVE HER YES OR NO!" She continued to shake him until he finally answered.

"OF COURSE I DO!" He yelled at the younger girl, he was upset at the treatment he was receiving. But after he let out these words she let go of him immediately.

"Then go and tell her." She said with a smile.

Tasuki got to his feet after a few seconds and walked up the stairs. He had not been aware that he possessed the power of saying something like that ever again after falling for Miaka. But he was now certain that he did indeed have strong feelings for her and that if he didn't act upon them now, he might lose her forever.

While Tasuki was getting some sense shaken into him by her friend, Aya was changing in their room. After being seen by the bandit and running away, she decided that the day could not get any worse and she might as well get to bed. When she first entered she was worried about the missing Cat, but she deducted that the girl was somewhere with the monk, finally awake. _Might as well allow her to be happy than hearing my depressed ranting._ She scoffed at herself.

In shorts and a tank top, the girl then moved towards the window. She opened the shutters, allowing the cold air to hit her. She did not mind it as much as she usually would. She placed her elbows down and cradled her head, staring at the town with a soft smile. She could not refuse the fact that she loved this world, peaceful or not, bandit or not.

She was recalling some earlier events, when they first showed up in the world, when the door slowly creaked open. She finally had a normal smile upon her face.

"Wha're ya thinkin' 'bout, hentai?" Tasuki shut the door behind him.

As soon as his voice broke through her thoughts, Aya nearly leapt out the window. She turned around, eyes wide like a trapped animal. Once she found that he was not advancing, she tried to calm her rapidly beating heart. When she was composed enough, she crossed her arms and looked away.

"What do you care?" She muttered, trying to sound as angry as possibly.

The bandit shrugged. After the rough talk he had with Cat, he was ready to storm in here and tell her, but suddenly his stubborn attitude returned at the sound of her own. "I don'."

Aya glared back at him, about to tell him to leave, when instead she closed her mouth and sat upon the bed closest to the window, away from him. "Fine… An' I was just thinking of Vereor."

"With that look on your face?" Tasuki's brows furrowed together, his anger slowly rising.

"Sure, why not.. He was quite the looker, wasn't he?" Aya's words set the seishi off. He stormed over and slammed the shutters shut, whirling around to face her. "W-what do you want anyways?" To say that he wasn't intimidating, standing over her, would have been a lie.

Tasuki tried not to snap at her, and he did his best. His eye twitched as he replied through clenched teeth. "You'll catch a cold…" At her startled look, he sighed and relaxed his tense shoulders. "If ya stand by the window, you'll git sick 'gain."

Aya tried not to stare up at him. She remembered herself spying on him earlier and she looked away. "Alright.. but I'd like to be alone right now." She heard him shifting, and instead of him leaving, she felt his weight settle next to her on the bed. She was going to tell him to back off when he grabbed her arm, causing her to wince.

Tasuki turned her bare arm over to look at the large scrape easier. "Why didn' ya say ya got hurt?" He then grabbed a jar that was on the floor, possibly left by Chichiri when he was tending to Cat earlier. He popped it open and grabbed some of the medicine inside, then slowly began to treat her arm.

"It doesn't matter, we all got hurt," Aya said, refusing to meet his intense gaze.

"An' I forgot of my bruises 'till ya friend shook me 'round jus' now." Tasuki muttered, but it was well heard in the quiet room.

Aya looked up, meeting his eyes then. She forgot about her discomfort. "What'd Cat say to you?"

It was the bandit's turn to look away, hiding his blush. "Just some things…" Aya, too curious for her own good, forgot all her discomforts and tried to stare him down in order to get him to talk. Tasuki grabbed some bandages and began to wrap her arm snugly. "There."

She pulled her arm back, slowly looking at his work, then proceeded to mutter a 'thanks'. But she never got to that. Tasuki had grabbed her good arm and dragged her the small distance between each other. She hit his chest softly, and found herself wrapped by the bandit. Her eyes stared ahead at the darkened wall, mouth slightly open ready to ask it what was going on…

"'M sorry," Tasuki's deep voice came to her ear. He lowered his head to rest his chin on her shoulder. Aya was certain he was trying to listen to her pounding heart. She hoped on everything that the rush of blood coming to her face was inaudible. "I didn' mean ta make ya sad… Cat had to shake it inta me, but now 'm gonna have to set things straight."

Aya held her breath, hoping not to tear up in this situation. "What is it?" Her voice sounded really soft, and the fear remained even when she tried to hide it._ He's going to reveal his undying love for his miko, _her mind told her. She reached a hand between them and gently pushed, but it only caused Tasuki to grab hold tighter. The unlucky hand was crushed.

"Idiot," he grumbled, and she could hear the tingle of humor in it.

And Aya continued waiting. She was held in her dream man's arm, in the arms of the man she loved… and he just called her an idiot. And nothing else. She waited some more, and finally realized that he was not saying anything else. "Tasu…" she began, but when his arms squeezed slightly she stopped.

"How 'bout a nap?" His smooth voice murmured. He finally released her, stretched, and began to discard his vest before lying down on the bed.

Aya stared at the man, completely confused as to what had just occurred. She thought he was going to say something important, bad or good, before he dropped it like nothing. She frowned, and stood up, ready to go to the other bed.

However, Tasuki had other plans. He grabbed her from the good arm again and pulled her down onto the bed. "Where ya goin?" He asked, head propped up. He looked as if he were a cat, playfully swatting its prey about.

"To bed," Aya huffily replied, refusing to play his games. He did not release her arm, no matter how hard she tugged. "Alright, what now?"

Tasuki chuckled, wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her to lay down with him, causing her to squeal in surprise. "I'd thought ya wanted to sleep together 'gain… ya little hentai."

Aya glanced over her shoulder to his smug look, and she tried once again to fight down the blush. "Not if _you _don't want to!" She squeaked out.

She let out another startled noise when he hugged her closer. "Does this look like I don' want ta?"

Aya smiled, a full satisfied smile as she finally began to get settled and curve herself towards the warmth. She answered, "No… no, it doesn't." Another round of silence. "Comfy?" There was a pause, then a soft 'hmm' in response. She took that as a confirmation and closed her eyes.

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Happy late April Fool's. 


	14. Chapter 13

Hey all! I know it's been a while since our last update, but better late then never right? Life's been getting very hectic as of late, job searches and new puppies to name a few things. Don't know when the next one will be up, so hold tight and don't forget to keep those reviews coming!

Cat

**Disclaimer:** Watase Yuu equals owner of Fushigi Yuugi

Cat and Aya equals...Llama?

Look, just don't steal our characters and things will be dandy! XD

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* * *

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**Chapter 13**

Cat slowly opened the door to the room that Aya and Tasuki occupied. She had wanted to get some rest in order to soothe her pounding head. She had already downed some pills, but her head still throbbed. She had never had such a bad headache in all her life.

_Maybe I really did overexert myself this time... _

She gently placed her right hand on the knob and opened the door. She took a small step in and quickly back tracked. Inside she found Aya and Tasuki laying in bed together.

It was probably the cutest thing she had ever seen. For once the bandit and girl were not sprawled out everywhere. Aya had her head on Tasuki chest while the bandit had his arms wrapped around her. Their breathing was soft and almost inaudible, they were at peace.

Cat took one last look at the scene and then closed the door. They had finally managed to work through their problems and see that they truly did love each other. She gave a sad sigh, now she was the only one left. Aya finally got her wish; she had finally gotten into Tasuki's heart. But Cat knew that it was impossible for her wish to come true.

She quickly made her way down the hall, not wanting to be seen by anyone. She was jealous of her friend's happiness. What kind of a horrible person was she? Her eyes began to water even though she fought it with all her might. The tears began to roll down her flushed cheeks, she felt very ill.

At that moment she heard the sound of a door opening. She quickly ran into the first room she found and locked the door behind her, trying to avoid seeing anyone. Taka, Miaka and Yui had all emerged from their room. The group laughed and talked merrily as they walked down the hall. They were heading down to the pub to have some dinner.

"Shouldn't we invite Tasuki, Chichiri and the girls?" Yui asked as they continued down the hall.

"They'll be fine. Besides I bet you they want their privacy." Taka said to the blonde girl. He held a grin on his face.

"You're talking about Aya and Tasuki, right? What about Cat and Chichiri?" Miaka said as she looked into his face. Yui and her awaited his response before they descended the stairs.

"Oh come on, can't you tell?" Taka asked with the same grin on his face.

After having seen Cat save Chichiri's life the other day he had begun to wise up to the emotions which the girl had tried to conceal. But it wasn't only on her part, the monk Seishi had also started to act differently of late. He even caught him glancing at the girl and the same was true for Cat. This was obviously the signs of a deeper connections that the two were starting to hold.

"What are you talking about, Taka?" Yui and Miaka both asked as they watched him lost in thought. They had not noticed anything between the two.

Maybe it was because they viewed Cat as the self sacrificing type, but they had not thought of anything by her actions the other day. They only thought she was being herself again.

But before Tamahome's reincarnation could answer another door opened. From it emerged the Seishi which had been the topic of discussion. He was still groggy from the medicine, he wasn't used to the affects, and he had also just awoken from a nice nap. It was now evening.

"Hello Chichiri, feeling better?" Miaka asked the monk.

After a quick discussion and inviting him to dinner, which he politely refused, they set off on their separate ways.

After a few minutes Cat emerged from the room. Taka knew... her face held a blank expression while she stood in the hall way. She didn't know where to go. She couldn't go to her room since Aya and Tasuki were occupying it and she didn't want to go to Chiri's room, even though he was gone she knew he'd return. She didn't want to run into him today.

She continued to stand in the hall; time had seemed to come to a stand still. She finally realized that if she continued to do this she'd have a greater chance of Chiri kun asking her what was wrong and most likely crying and blurting out everything. She decided that the only real option she had was to go downstairs. There was a small lobby like area which was out of the way and nice and private, she figured that would be a good place to hide out for a while.

She grabbed her math text book and a few sheets of paper and made her way downstairs. She received some intrigued stares from a few patrons but besides that she was not disturbed. She then sat down and began to study. She had given up hope in staying in Konan and living happily with Chichiri.

She knew that she would eventually return home and go back to college life, so she might as well be prepared.

_Especially since I'm probably going to have to repeat the semester since I've been gone so long. _

She went over her notes and did a few practice problems. Eventually Tama showed up and began begging for attention. The girl gave him a nice little rub every so often while she continued; she was determined to at least make it through the first two sections. But soon she was finding it impossible to concentrate.

Her headache had returned and with a vengeance, also to make her current state interesting her left shoulder and neck were acting up yet again. She suffered from muscles pains quite frequently, she was always extremely tense and stressed.

She finally stuffed the sheets of paper and her pencil inside the book and began stretching out her aching limbs as best she could, but it did little to soothe the pain.

_I must look like such a loser right now. I'm suffering from every single form of pain imaginable... _

She looked up towards the ceiling and reclined herself as best as she could in the rather cramped chair. Cat continued to try and find a comfortable position for the next few minutes until she finally settled into a light sleep. Her body was begging for some rest, she had been refusing all this time, running around giving out advice and pain medication but now that she was sitting it took advantage of the situation and forced her to sleep. Tama eventually settled into a nice little nap on her stomach.

Chichiri had gone downstairs after Miaka and her group left for dinner. He was looking for the rest of his companions. He had eventually returned upstairs and gone to Aya and Cat's room only to find a rather interesting scene... Aya and Tasuki had left their adorable positions and were now sprawled all over each other.

After recovering from what he had just seen he decided to look for Cat. As soon as he went downstairs he heard a rather interesting conversation. Three men were standing around a something in a secluded part of the inn; they seemed to be up to no good. Chichiri was just deciding that he shouldn't get involved when he heard something that made him change his mind.

"She's an odd one, ain't she?" A gruff man of about thirty said as he looked down at the girl and licked his cracked lips. He always enjoyed the company of younger girls, and she wasn't too bad of a looker either...

They had been staring at Cat who had fallen into a deep sleep due to exhaustion. She had no idea that she was being observed by a group of men. The men continued to exchange comments about the girl, most very lewd, for a good while.

"Her hair is so... different... and her color, she's so... exotic..." The younger man of about twenty-seven said as he reached his rough hand out to feel Cat's dark wavy brown hair. Tama hissed as his hand neared the girl and the men gave off a laugh as he pulled it back.

"Looks like the lil kitty don't want us to play with his master." He said as the men continued to chuckle.

But as soon as he had finished this statement a loud 'whack' was heard as a staff came crashing down on his head. His two companions soon turned around to see who had attacked their friend and found that the attacker was a monk. Chichiri glared at all three men, even though he still wore his mask it wasn't difficult to tell that he wasn't at all pleased at the moment. The look that he was giving them sent chills down the spines of the three men; they didn't stick around to find out what he had to say. Instead they scuttled out of the inn, never turning back.

Chichiri soon turned his attention to Cat; she was still in a deep sleep. Her brain refused to awaken unless it was for a dire emergency. He sighed as he thought of what could have happened to the girl if he hadn't over heard the conversation.

_She needs to be more careful, no da..._

He then sat down in a chair next to hers and awaited for her to wake up. He stared into a nearby fire, lost in thought. Cat finally came out of her sleep after another half an hour. She sighed as she waited to fully come to consciousness, her eyes unfocused and examining nothing in particular.

"Had a good rest, no da?" Chichiri inquired. He had been brought out of his state of unease at the sound of Cat coming out of her sleep.

Cat stiffened when she heard that all too familiar voice... the one person she had not wanted to run into and now he was here, next to her. She quickly regained calm, realizing that it would be worse to appear frantic in front of him. She turned to face him with her usual smile.

"Yes thank you. And how do you feel, did the medicine work?"

They stayed there for a bit, talking about a few things. Cat found it hard to excuse herself and barricade herself in a room; she enjoyed his company so much. Besides it didn't appear that he knew about how she truly felt, so it should still be okay to be with him.

"You haven't eaten yet have you, no da?" He asked her after they had conversed for a good while. He got to his feet and grabbed his staff. "Lets have dinner, na no da."

Cat then followed him out of the small area, left behind was a forgotten textbook.

When they were finally settled and eating their meal, conversation soon began again. "Chiri kun... what did you do after you helped Miaka summon Suzaku?" Cat finally asked. She had always wondered whether all of what Watase Yu had written was accurate.

_I mean, he's a real person, you can't just write out their lives... _

It remained quiet for a few seconds. Cat wondered whether she had offended the Seishi in some way and was just about to apologize right when he answered.

"I wandered." It was a very simple answer but it had taken him a while to say it for some reason. He looked down at his empty cup, avoiding her gaze.

"All by yourself? I don't know how you can be so brave... I can't survive on my own." She looked towards the monk who seemed busy with his cup. She brought her eyes to her own cup and looked at the water that still remained.

After a few silent moments passed Miaka, Yui, and Taka entered the room after having spotted the two. Taka had a sly grin on his face as he saw the two having dinner. Chichiri didn't think anything of it but Cat felt her stomach turn. She still kept her usual smile though.

"Good thing we caught you before you two left! It's nice for everyone to be here to have dinner together," Miaka said jubilantly. She sat down in the occupied table, Yui right beside her and Taka across from her, on the other side of Chiri. He leaned forward and caught Cat looking nervously at him from the monk's other side.

No one else caught the look he sent, but it made Cat tense. She pushed some of her food around her plate, trying to take her mind off of their small conversations.

At that moment Tasuki and Aya came into the room. They both had rather pleasant expressions on their faces after having awoken from very refreshing naps. They both found the group seated at the same table, already with dinner. Aya refused to turn red when she caught the satisfied smirk from her friend and the glances everyone else sent her. Instead, she plopped down in a seat and made sure to order something fast.

"Sleep well?" Miaka grinned over at the Seiryuu envoy as she finally finished stuffing her face.

"Just fine," Aya smiled at the miko. _Say one comment and you're gonna get a bread roll shoved up your nose._ Her eyes told the girl enough and she held back her remark.

Tasuki, however, as dense as he was, did not catch the clues. "Coulda slept better if ya didn' smack me."

Aya's head snapped his way, who had sat next to her, and stuck out her tongue. Unfortunately for her, it was too late to smack him. The words were already out. The three in the room that had not opened the door to their scene were staring at them.

"Ah, some sake!" Tasuki ignored the looks.

After realizing that they were not going to be able to pry information from the pair, they went back to conversing. The topics were veering away from Vereor's location and more towards their school plans.

Aya and Cat stayed a bit silent, separated by several people. They did not often join in Miaka and Yui's ranting of Japan's education, but did answer questions asked about their university.

Cat caught Aya trying to make fun of Tasuki while he drank, causing him to nearly choke on his sake. The others were laughing at the flustered bandit, gasping for breath, then started up on something about Konan's recovery and how the country's economy was looking up (started by Taka). She looked down at the mug she had nestled in her lap, staring at the tea she had finally begun to get used to.

It was soft at first, but Aya was able to pick it up, seeing that she had gotten Tasuki embarrassed and was being given the cold shoulder as he downed a bit more sake. She tilted her head, leaning forward on the table to pick up the sound… yes, it was humming.

Aya smirked, and then began to hum along, keeping her voice low before picking up the words. "Never knew I could feel like this…"

Cat perked to the words, realizing that she had been lost in her own thoughts. She looked across to Aya, who began the first verse of "Come What May".

Being that they were separated by nearly the rest of the group, the girl's singing and humming interrupted all conversation.

"Karaoke?" Miaka perked up, her eyes shining.

As soon as Aya's verse ended, Cat happily picked up with the higher range and next verse.

Call it random, but the two Americans had decided to beak into a song from Moulin Rouge. Aya took the lower verses while Cat took the woman's higher ones. They started off low, but ended the song loud enough that the rest of the tavern quieted to listen, complementing each others voice nicely, making it seem this wasn't the first time they had sung this duet.

When they ended, Miaka applauded, grinning from ear to ear. "That was great! Oh, Yui-chan! I want to sing too!"

"What th' hell? Ya can' jus' go singin' foreign songs," Tasuki said from his side, looking around at the small amount of people that remained in the place that were looking their way. "Ya gettin' unwanted attention."

"He's right, no da." But Chichiri did not say much else to deter the two miko.

The two stood up, after much persuasion from Miaka for the Seiryuu priestess to join in a duet. They sung an unknown song to Cat and Aya, but they laughed nonetheless when Miaka's whining finally brought Yui's nice voice out.

After three more songs, two which were sung by Aya and Cat together, selecting random songs that they could remember, both Japanese and American alike, the group decided to head to bed.

"Are you sleeping with Aya again Tasuki, no da?" Chichiri asked innocently as they headed up the stairs.

Tasuki missed the next step and was nearly sent crashing back down.

"Tasuki!" Aya squeaked out, trying to help him keep his balance. It looked as if the sake had actually been able to take effect that night.

"I knew it!" Miaka told Yui and Taka with a grin. "If you want, we could rearrange rooms… give you guys some privacy."

Aya hid the blush, shaking her head abruptly. "No, that's fine. We napped earlier, that's all. Chiri, can you help Tasuki to his room? I'll head back to ours… C'mon, Cat." Aya handed the slightly woozy bandit to the monk, realizing that she had said his name so casually, then grabbed her friend's arm and rushed back to her room before anything else could be said.

The rest stood silent, before Yui broke it. "Well… I think it's cute." They all then separated, returning to their rooms to sleep for the night.

Late in the morning, everyone had finally awoken and were ready to head out. After a long discussion, Chichiri had announced that the best plan was to head west, where they received some word that Vereor was spotted, and gather information. His idea was to head to Sairou, to make sure that the country was warned ahead of time before the enemy could strike.

Everyone was in high spirits. Yui and Miaka discussed their recent High School happenings while Chichiri and Taka discussed Vereor. Tasuki and Aya, meanwhile, rode side by side talking about random things and enjoying each others company. The only person that wasn't really having a good time was Cat. She rode some ways behind the group with Tama on her lap. She looked from side to side, trying to find something of interest. At around mid day she found it.

An oddly shaped ball lay under a large tree. It was painted a deep blue and blended in well with the dark green grass that surrounded it. They had traveled into a warmer part of the country and life was starting to peak through the snow. The group had just stopped for lunch and Cat took no time to go over and examine the ball. It was shaped almost like a football.

She smiled as she threw it up in the air, causing it to spin and fall back into her hands. She wore her UF tank top, blue with a gator head on her chest. She had been thinking about her university of late and now this?

_It's like a sign... I don't know what for, but it's a sign!_

She then turned to face Aya who was helping Yui get some things organized.

"ORANGE!" Cat yelled out the infamous war cry, she waited for her friend to respond.

Aya stared up at her friend, as did everyone else. She had an odd glittering effect in her eyes and she held the ball with a sense of pride, she then responded after realizing what was expected.

"BLUE!" She cried back.

"ORANGE!"

"BLUE! "

"ORANGE! "

"BLUE! "

"GO GATORS! " They both cheered.

"Up for some good old American fun?" Cat asked after walking towards her friend, the 'football' extended towards Aya. "How bout some tackle football?" Cat asked after watching Aya examine the ball.

Aya pondered the suggestion, she wasn't much of an athlete and didn't know anything about football. But soon Cat made her realize that the event would be a great thing indeed. She leaned towards her friend and whispered in her right ear.

"You can tackle Gen Chan."

SOLD!

Aya and Cat convinced the rest of the group that the activity would be a good way of letting out the stress they had accumulated from tracking down Vereor. Despite a few grumbles and some comments about 'Crazy Americans' they had gotten them to agree. Cat then set to work explaining the rules and organizing the teams, everyone was going to play except for Miaka who would cheer instead. "Had too much for lunch." She stated as her excuse, patting her belly for effect.

"Alright, on my team I'll take Genrou and Taka. Aya you Chiri kun and Yui are on team Blue." Cat smiled as everyone got to their side of the field.

They spent a good thirty minutes just helping everyone figure out how to play, but soon everyone had an idea and things ran smoothly.

By the end of the first quarter team Orange was up 14 to 0. Cat was open near the end zone, Taka threw the ball and she caught it. She soon started making her way to make a touchdown when Aya and Yui both pounced on her causing her to fumble.

"Get it Chiri!" Aya yelled as she finally got off a crushed Cat.

But he was soon tackled by Taka and Gen Chan grabbed the ball.

The speed demon set out and easily weaved his way in between Chichiri and Yui who had tried to stop the bandit from reaching the end zone, but it was to no avail. He made it and immediately started ranting about how no one could catch up to him.

"Don't fall too far behind." Cat smugly stated to Aya as she made her way to her team.

Aya glared at the girl and then set to work organizing a new tactic with Yui and Chichiri, she was going to at least get one touchdown.

By the end of the third quarter things were looking bad for team Blue. The score was 0 to 21. Miaka had gotten tired and sat down and watched the game with Tama, cheering occasionally for everyone.

Cat had thrown the ball to Genrou who immediately began making his way towards the opponent's end of the field. Aya was ready. She came out from no where and jumped onto the bandits back, trying to slow him down.

"Not now, hentai!" He said as he continued to run.

Soon Yui and even Chichiri had joined in, all of them trying to stop the bandit who just kept on going. Cat and Taka made their way to the action.

"Give it here!" Cat said to the bandit. He lightly tossed her the ball and the girl set off running.

"Get her Chiri! Yui!" Aya commanded. She had let go of Tasuki and had gone after Cat.

The girl was nearly at the end zone but the three caught up to her. Yui then Aya and finally Chichiri slammed in to Cat who fell face first into the hard ground. She still held the ball clutched in her hands.

The rest of the game contained Aya jumping on Tasuki every chance she got and trying to beat Cat too. Finally the game ended, the score was 14 to 21. Cat smugly drank some water as she looked over to Aya. They both looked like hell.

"Don't worry; I'm sure you'll fit right in at FSU." Cat laughed as she looked at her friend. Even though FSU usually beat UF, it was still a great insult for any Gator Girl to be called a Nole.

"Ah, shut up!" Aya said as she threw a rag at the girl, she had been trying to get some of the dirt off her face.

Chichiri walked towards the two, he looked very odd, what with all the dirt on his face and his usually clean tunic. He frowned as he wondered about the event that had just taken place.

"Your culture is very violent, no da." He finally stated as he sat down in between the two girls. He was exhausted.

"I guess... I guess you can say we're very aggressive. No other nation usually messes with us and when they do they regret it!" Aya stated with a laugh, she thought back to her home and how funny it was that the US would go and crush a small nation like Afghanistan, it was kinda like being a bully.

"I mean, after 9/11 things got even worse." Cat added in.

Taka perked up to this.

"What do you mean?" He asked the girl as he came over. He had just finished cleaning up a bit.

"You know... September 11th, the terrorist attack that destroyed the World Trade Center and killed around 3,000 people..." She was shocked that he had seemed to have no idea as to what she was talking about.

"What are you talking about?"

Aya and Cat sat frozen. Everyone knew about 9/11, it had been international news for months. But then it hit them.

_Of course, we're not from the same world... I guess that never happened._

"Never mind." Cat said before Taka could ask any more questions.

"I guess it wasn't as big of a deal as we thought it was." She and Aya then excused themselves and got ready to set off.

They continued to travel to Sairou without anything else happening. After having talked about 9/11, the girls kept quiet about their world. They didn't want reveal everything.

It had been a week since the whole sleeping incident had taken place between Aya and Tasuki. The two now spent most of their time together, leaving Cat to try and mingle with the others. But it was difficult for her, since she couldn't relate with what Taka, Miaka and Yui talked about. She was older than the miko and from a different world; the conversation was usually very dry to her. So she instead found herself off in a corner, waiting for Chichiri to come over and say something.

But as of late he hadn't spoken to her much. He seemed to be keeping his distance for some reason. Every time she laughed he was happy, when she smiled at him he felt something inside of him warm up. He couldn't explain it, but he even saw her in a different light now.

Cat lay some way away from the group under the shinning sun. Her deep brown hair proving to be lighter than anyone would have guessed and her skin thanking her for the Vitamin D she was receiving from the ultra violet rays. Chichiri found himself seated next to her without realizing how he had gotten there, he enjoyed her company and everyone else was busy.

The emissary of Suzaku had her eyes closed while her body warmed up from the suns rays, this so reminded her of home…

"What are you thinking of, no da?" The monk finally asked. He had been observing her for the past few minutes, waiting for her to realize his presence.

Cat opened her eyes and brought them to rest on the monks face. She smiled and sat up.

"I was thinking of what I was going to do when I got back home." She knew that nothing more than friendship was ever going to happen between them, she would go back when they had finally destroyed Vereor.

But at this statement Chichiri's cheerful face dropped a little. He hadn't given much thought to the fact that Cat would eventually leave once her role was fulfilled.

"My parents probably think I'm dead, so I should let them know I'm not... then I'll probably get some things worked out and finish the semester for school and probably enroll for the summer, you know, to catch up. After that I'll just catch up with everyone and go back to my sad and uneventful life." She smiled at the last statement, looking off at Aya and Tasuki.

Life was going to be even worse without Aya. She knew that her friend was going to find a way to stay with her love, and that left Cat all alone. She sighed as she brought herself out of these depressing thoughts and found the Seishi giving her a questioning look.

"Why do you say your life is sad?"

She knew it was coming but she still had been able to come up with an answer. So she said whatever came to mind at that time.

"Well I have a great life when it comes to my family, I mean they are awesome, they love me to death, but still, I'm really lonely... My mom has my dad, my brother has his girlfriend... I mean I have love but its not the love that I need." She looked up at the sky as she let the words come out on their own, not censoring anything at the time. She'd probably look back on this moment and regret a lot of things, but for now she just didn't care. "Or at least, the love I want."

"My friends will eventually all get married and have their families, I'll be left alone... I know I'll never find anyone who will love me like that." Before she could stop herself she was explaining how every time she got close to someone she lost them.

"First my best friend was taken away from me when we were still kids, then my other best friend turned her back on me. After that I got really close to this one friend and she was taken away too... its like every time I get close to someone I lose them... And now I'm losing Aya too." She looked towards Gen Chan and her friend. They had succeeded in falling asleep yet again, that seemed to be their favorite past time.

"I know I shouldn't be bitter but its hard, you know? Everyone seems to get their happy ending except me. People just always seem to push me away, they hate me. Even my friends would shun me every so often. They'd call me horrible things, and after a while I'd start believing them. I mean after you've been told that you're useless and that its all your fault over and over, you start believing it... So now I think everything's my fault, I'm always apologizing even though I have no control over some things... it has to be my fault somehow." She paused. This was the first time she had been so open with anyone for a long time.

"Maybe it's just not meant for me to be happy, to find love." She didn't know how she was able to keep from crying, but she didn't shed a single tear. She had done that too much already. She was now learning how to live with this sad reality.

She looked off into the horizon, her eyes unfocused as she thought back to her past and all the things that had happened to her that made her think this way. She didn't realize that next to her Chichiri had removed his mask. He too looked off into the horizon.

"You are wrong." He stated.

The sound of his voice brought Cat back to the present. She noticed that it wasn't it's usual cheerful tone, but instead was serious. Her brown eyes looked up at the man that sat next to her, his left eye hidden by a huge scar while his right one looked directly in front of him. Their brownish red color revealed in the sunlight.

"Don't think of life as filled with never ending sadness and defeat, there are good things that come unexpectedly. Many people don't get to see these good things since they give up, their hope having been dashed by something that happened to them before... I held those same thoughts not too long ago but luckily I was saved." He ended his sentence and became deep in thought. He remembered how a young girl had saved his life after he had thrown himself into a river. This after losing his battle with grief over the loss of his Koran and Hikou.

Cat slowly lowered her head and thought back to what had happened to him. He had lost his best friend, his true love and his entire village in a single night. She was ashamed of herself for having been so weak as to state that she hated life, when so many horrible things had happened to Chichiri and he still kept going.

"You must have really loved her..." She stated softly.

Chichiri was brought back to the present. He finally looked over to the girl. She had her head resting on her knees which she had brought up to her chest. She didn't look at him, her brown eyes shinning from the tears she had already released while he was not looking.

She knew there was nothing she could do, but she still felt pain when she thought of Koran's death. But the greatest pain she felt was that Chichiri had not yet been able to truly be happy, he played the role of being happy, but that was only because of his mask. Behind it was the sad story of a man who had lost everything, and still blamed himself.

She knew that she had stirred up strong emotions in the Seishi. She regretted having caused him even more pain.

"I'm sorry."

She placed her arms around him. This was the first time she had openly displayed affection. It wasn't in a romantic sense, it was a comforting embrace. Her eyes were still sad as she hugged Chichiri, wishing she could somehow help him be completely free from the burden he held in his heart.

They stayed like that for a few minutes. The wind blew a cool breeze and rustled the few leaves that had appeared in the trees nearby. This was the only sound that was heard.

Chichiri thought he would have reacted differently to this show of affection, but he knew that it was done in an innocent way, so it was alright. He felt comfortable and his mind rested while he was in her arms, he felt a certain peace that he hadn't experienced for a very long time.

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**Note to Tasuki-lovers**

Aya is out 'cause she's getting her little Recca (Tas-chan in a dog suit)


	15. Chapter 14

Where was I? Um... Here's chapter 14. I'm starting to forget where this story is going, but we'll try to keep our faithful readers entertained long enough. Wait, wow... /14/ chapters? Never thought it'd last that long! -

Anyways, as the disclaimer always goes, we don' own nothin'. Not even a speck of hair from the boys' heads. Sadly... We own ourselves and the bad dude and such... I think I'll cry myself to bed tonight.

Aya -- look, I made it pretty!

**Chapter 14**

Up and down, up and down. Aya lazily stared at the changing scenery. For once, the colder climate began to warm up into the drier desert-like atmosphere of Sairo's lands. She turned to the nearest person she found, which was Cat riding beside her. "Are we there yet?"

The darker girl, just as exhausted, gave her a blank look. "How would I know?"

"We've already made it to Sairo. The capital isn't too far off from here," Taka answered the girl from somewhere in front of them.

It was then that Aya realized that they had been trailing behind for a bit. Cat and herself were the last ones, while Tasuki and Chichiri were leading up front. As small conversations were held up front, the back was relatively quiet. Aya had to resist a strong urge to start whistling a random tune. Instead, she started counting to the beat of her mare's slow pace. When she lost count, counting trees came next.

"So, how are things going?"

Cat's voice started her out of her trance. Aya looked at her friend directly, waiting for her brain to register the question. _I think this heat is not helping_. "Um, warm?"

Her friend rolled her eyes. "Not that, I mean with Tasuki." She then proceeded to remove the jacket she had on for the colder climate. Long ago they had discarded the longer coats that kept them warm, now lost to some previous inn or perhaps someone remembered to pack them up.

Aya blinked, looked towards the redhead in the front, and then turned back to Cat, giving her a shrug. "Things are pretty much the same. Why?"

"The same?" This brought a look from Miaka, who had caught the statement and her curiosity sparked. Cat lowered her voice. "I remember you two sleeping together.. And you spend a lot of time together now, how is any of that 'the same' as before?"

Aya shrugged a shoulder again. "I suppose you are right. Only difference is that I don't sneak into his bed now. If you think that we're together or anything, we're really not." She frowned, staring off in any direction other than any of Suzaku's members; she ended up catching sight of another group of trees to count. "They're not that many left around here."

Cat kicked her horse and managed to maneuvered it in order to block Aya's path, sending her a stern look, clearly outraged. "Are you kidding me? You both love each other, why do you say you're not together!"

"I might love him, but he sure as hell doesn't love me."

Although it was meant to be muttered, Cat still clearly heard the words. Luckily, no one else caught it. Her eye tried to twitch. It failed. Instead, she settled on glaring. "I'm gonna hurt you. The moment we get--"

"How are things between you and Chiri?" Aya cut in.

"I--" Was produced by the girl, her eyes watching the ground before she pulled on the reigns and let the girl proceed. It suddenly grew silent towards the back, and they traveled on for a few minutes in peace.

Up front, another quiet discussion was being held.

"What do you think we'll do when we catch up to this Vereor-guy?" Taka queried as he trotted closer to his fellow Suzaku shichiseishi. "I mean, it's not like he seems all that difficult of a problem. Just get to him, and get rid of him."

"It's getting to him that will be the problem, no da." Chichiri solemnly spoke from the very front. "I believe he takes enjoyment in sending us around in circles, na no da." The monk sounded as exhausted as the others, and the heat had not been helping.

Tasuki was trying to stay up on his horse. His eyes were slowly closing on him. The last time he had traveled this path, his mount decided to be stubborn and then they got stuck in an illusion and nearly died. Not too many fond memories. "Oi, when the hell are we gonna get there!"

"Soon, no da. There should be a small village nearby to rest at."

"Yah? How 'bout taking a break now?" The bandit continued to whine to himself, even if he continued his current pace with the others.

Taka, getting annoyed with him, suggested, "Why don't you go over and keep yourself entertained with Aya?" He glanced back to make sure that the mount Miaka and Yui were sharing was still following right behind him. Miaka waved cheerfully from her spot, catching Taka's look.

"She'd probably yell at me, or somethin'."

"You two still aren't getting along that well? You have to work out those problems or else it will never get anywhere."

Tasuki remained silent, took a faint glance at the girl in the back, then looked at the reincarnated seishi. "How'd ya go 'bout workin' it out with Miaka?"

Taka smirked. He had known the bandit would need help sometime soon. "Well, you see, women tend to think differently..." And so he proceeded on giving pointers to the clueless bandit.

Chichiri had been listening, although he tried to keep his mind on the upcoming confrontation with their enemy instead. His mind kept returning to the turmoil of emotions that he was facing. He used his morning meditation to clear his thoughts, but the heat must have brought them back earlier than he intended them to.

"Hey, I think we're just about there, no da!" He cut into their conversation and raised his voice, as he came over a sand dune.

The monk's voice traveled back to the two American girls. A flood or relief went across Aya's face. "Thank goodness! I love the heat and all, but that was too much for too long." Even then, she put a mental note to lay out in the sun tomorrow after being refreshed.

They had found a place to rest; a small tavern offered them a few rooms for the night. When their mounts were settled in the stables and their packs moved to their own rooms, everyone gathered at a large table in the tavern to discuss plans. Or gossip. It all depended on what was brought up first.

"So we will reach the capital in the afternoon tomorrow, then what?" Taka was finishing up his broth.

"I guess we try to find out if Vereor is trying to make a move, no da," Chichiri was contemplating from his seat at one end of the table, he was seated next to Taka. The two American girls were trying to hold a conversation with the two miko. Tasuki was on the other side of the table, sipping on some sake and staring off. As soon as they all finished dinner, they stood up and headed their own ways. Chichiri was the last one to stand up, and he hesitated towards the stairs.

"What's wrong?" Cat had stood back, and she looked towards the smiling monk. She knew that he wore a frown under that false face. She waited patiently for an answer. Aya saw her friend stay back and she peeked from the stairs.

Chichiri turned his head their way, and slowly tilted his head. "I think I am going outside for a bit, no da. I'm afraid we might want to gather information as soon as possible, na no da."

The two girls frowned at him. Cat looked up to find that Aya had decided to leave the seishi to do what he thought was right and began to head up again. The dark-haired college student forced a smile. "We traveled all day. It's better to rest and go out early."

"It's okay, Cat. I'll be out for only a few minutes, no da." Before she could protest to the idea, he headed out the door.

Cat's eyebrows furrowed together as she stared after him. "C'mon," her friend called from the top of the stairs. After another brief look towards the entrance, Cat decided to follow the rest up the stairs. "That man doesn't need that much sleep, anyways." Aya assured her.

As they were going to their rooms, they heard loud voices coming from Miaka and Yui. Curious, Aya first poked her head through the priestess' door.

"I say one thousand yen on... Four. That's a good number." Miaka beamed, flailing the bill she had in her pocket.

"Four what?" Cat pushed the door open, causing Aya to trip from her spot. She looked at the Japanese bills and then towards the two girls. "What are you two betting on?"

They both cast weary eyes to Aya, who was picking herself up from the floor. "On how many kids the two of them will have." Miaka said lightly, with an evil smirk to her face.

Aya's head jerked up. "Kids? Whose?"

But next to her Cat was already digging into her own pocket, examining the money she had with her. Soon she took a step forward, lightly waving the currency in the air. "Four?" She gave a rather evil smile, something that was very unlike her. "I think they will have a total of," She glanced at the confused 'mother to be', then back at the bills. "I bet five dollars on seven."

"Seven! Now hold on, I'm not having any children!" Aya fumed, trying to snatch her friends money before it hit the table, lest it curse her with the misfortune of producing seven brats.

"What's wrong, Aya chan? Don't you want to have lots of Tasuki babies?" Cat teased as she slapped the bill on the table, the miko were trying to conceal their laughter. Cat then grabbed a hold of her friends hands and shook vigorously. "Four boys and three girls, what a lovely family it will be indeed!"

"Oh, I think it'll be more like five boys and two girls!" Miaka chimed in, standing from her chair and counting up the money, American and Japanese currency alike.

"No way, it's going to be six girls and one boy!" Yui stated, waggling a finger at the group, most especially towards the dismayed Aya.

Aya bawled her fists, trying to keep her face from turning to a much to bright shade of scarlet, though it didn't work much. "And what about you?" She growled towards Cat, the dark girls' eyes went wide immediately with her fear, a small gasp escaping. The two miko were now watching the girls intently, wondering what would come next. But Aya was able to keep calm enough and not say anything more.

The rest of the night passed without much commotion. Everyone had enjoyed their meal, except Cat who simply nibbled a bit here and there, glancing over to the empty spot next to Tasuki then towards the entrance. Chichiri returned from his rounds just before supper had ended, everyone was just heading off for the night when he walked in, ordering something quickly before seating himself on the far end of the table, away from Cat. The girl didn't say anything at first, finishing what was not ice cold on her plate before standing and heading off to join the others with a quick 'goodnight'.

The party was already packed and ready to leave when the first light broke over the city. They were assembled outside, huddled rather close due to the chill the early morning produced. Chichiri and Taka emerged from the inn soon after, wasting no time in leaping onto their mounts. Aya glanced back every so often, watching as the town faded into the sands as the group made their way towards their next destination. Besides her Cat held a frown, staring directly in front, as if trying to see the city off in the distance.

"What is it?" Aya asked, watching the same spot the girl was so intent on examining.

Cat shook her head, grabbing onto the reigns tightly before turning her head towards Aya. "Don't you see!" Her voice had reached those in front of them, causing heads to turn and examine the pair. But once the eyes fell on her she feel silent, looking off to the side and swallowing the rest of her words. "Never mind." She muttered, the eyes reluctantly returned to watch the path ahead.

"Cat..." Aya glanced at the girl who had been so passionate yet a moment ago.

The rest of the day proved to move about in the same manner, silent and hot. Aya was surprised to find herself up ahead of the miko, somehow her mount had decided to pick up the speed without her noticing it. She glanced back and found Cat now a good deal behind the rest of the party, the girl seemed upset at something, the reigns held tightly in her hand. Soon Aya was traveling next to her again. "You okay?" She asked cautiously, fearing the reply that was soon to come.

"I'm hungry."

Aya's eyes went wide, dread read in them. "B-but, didn't you have food at the inn?" She asked quickly, trying to remember if she had saved any food for the trip.

"No, didn't have much for dinner and nothing for breakfast... lunch is gone and now its almost time for supper." Her voice was low, menacing as she glared at the sand. "I would have packed something for the trip, like I always do, but _someone _didn't wake me up in time." Her brown eyes moved towards Aya, but only briefly, soon she began eyeing the girls mount, wondering what the beast tasted like.

Aya caught the look, distressed. "Hey, you're a vegetarian! Don't you even think about it." She moved the animal away from the starved girl.

"I gave that up a while ago, too hungry." But before the situation could escalate their attention was caught by Chichiri's voice.

"We're settling here for the night, no da!" He called to the stragglers, the others had already begun to make camp. The days' heat had forced them to make the trip even longer, hopefully they'd reach the capital by tomorrow.

"Okay, what's there to eat?" Miaka was the first to ask, eyes dancing at the thought of a meal. She looked first to Taka then Chichiri, trying not to drool.

"We won't be having anything to eat tonight, we left in such a hurry this morning that the food we had packed got left behind." Taka sadly announced to the group as he moved closer to the fire, the night air chilling as ever. "We'll just have to hold out till tomorrow afternoon. In the meantime, why don't we try to focus on creating a plan to finish off this guy?" Aya glanced over to where Cat was seated, her face covered by the shadows, but even so she felt her annoyance growing.

"Alright, as we saw before this guy isn't that much of a threat, he was rather easy to beat last time, so I was thinking if we just used a slightly more aggressive approach it shouldn't take that long to beat him."

The group muttered agreement, but suddenly a voice broke their mild tones. "I don't think that's true." Everyone glanced back at Cat, she was obviously not in a good mood. "It can't be this easy." Silence fell on them, but soon enough Taka spoke.

"But you remember the battle, he fled after we managed to defeat his pitiful demons." Taka frowned towards the girl, confused by her change of personality. "Besides, why else would he be running away? If he was powerful he wouldn't have to..."

"Look, I don't presume to have a firm grasp of this world and its workings, but what I do know is this." She looked off in the direction they had been traveling all day. "He underestimated us, that's why he lost. And here we are doing the same thing... we can't just keep saying he's not a threat, if he wasn't a threat we wouldn't be chasing after him!" She let out a huff at the end of her statement, eyes not moving from the night sky, feeling everyone's gaze on her and growing even more agitated.

Taka seemed to be the only one up to trying to persuade the girl, the others were simply watching the conversation unfold. "But with the help of the Gods, they wont' be--"

"It's only a theory, how do you know it will work?" Her fists were yet again bawled, as if she would swing at the nearest thing to her. "We can't continue to think this way, letting your guard down, that's what leads to causalities! If we bet everything on summoning the gods, and if it doesn't work, that means more time searching, more time that I would rather not waste!"

Without much more thought she was on her feet, standing above them, opening her mouth to speak but then shutting it and turning to walk away from the group, which was now in complete shock. "The world hasn't come to a stand still just because of him... Excuse me." Soon she was gone, the shadows veiling her frustration which soon dissipated and turned into regret then shame.

As soon as she was out of sight the group all turned to Aya for an explanation. The girl shook her head slowly before moving closer to the fire. "It happens sometimes..." She moved her hands closer to the flames, trying to focus on that rather then the stares.

"Shouldn't someone go after her?" Yui asked softly as she looked over to the spot where the girl had disappeared.

"She'll be fine, just let her cool off." Aya stated, rubbing her palms together to generate more warmth.

"Is it that, um, time of the--" Taka tried to provide from his spot, slightly curious.

"No." With a sigh the small brunette sent her eyes over to the Seishi. "She's just hungry... Anyways, shouldn't we keep talking about V? She did have a point about us taking the situation too lightly, underestimating someone is very dangerous, even if we have faced him before."

"Yes, you're right Aya." And so Taka began discussing their plan of action yet again, taking into account what Aya and Cat had said.

The talks didn't last very long before everyone got drowsy. Tasuki was the first to doze off, nearly falling asleep in the fire before Aya gave him a good whack. Soon after the miko and Taka made for their bedrolls, each grateful for the small comfort. Before Aya made for bed she decided to go and coax Cat into sleeping, wondering if the girl was still rampaging somewhere in the desert.

As she rose she felt a hand on her shoulder stalling her, when she looked back and found a smiling face she simply stared back. "You should get some rest, no da. I'll go look for her, na no da." And with a light pat he was off, leaving a very confused Aya to settle in for the night.

Cat continued to pace back and forth in the sand, stopping to kick at it every so often, she hadn't known what had triggered this rage but it was certainly taking all of her will to end it. True, she went off like this once every three months or so, but this time it wasn't because of her hunger. "Well, that did have a key role in sparking it, but still!" And another kick sent the sand into the air.

"Why, why did I act like that, in front of everyone!" Disgusted with herself she continued her rampage, wishing she had been in a forest where she could punch a tree and throw a rock instead of the desert where only sand and large boulders were to be held.

The foreign tongue filled the night air, speaking it easily and quickly, it might have sounded beautiful if it had not been so filled with anger, almost hate. Now exhausted with her efforts she tripped and fell on to the sand, getting a mouth full of it. "Damn you..." She let out, this time in English, before rolling over to face the night sky that was littered with stars.

Chichiri had stopped in his tracks, watching the girl with some concern as she cursed someone. He began to wonder if it was safe to approach, fearing her wrath, but soon the sound of laughter filled the air. Cat was now giggling, even giving off a few snorts every now and again from her spot in the sand. The man cleared his throat before taking a step forward, his voice breaking the laughter. "Are you alright, no da?"

Cat instantly sat up, following the voice to its owner and spotting the confused Seishi. She ceased her laughter and instantly dusted off the sand from her face and hair. "Yes, I'm fine." She said as she continued in her task. "I'm really sorry about what happened today, I didn't mean to be so rude... though I really should be apologizing to Taka, now shouldn't I?" She was so calm, her rage having left as quickly as it had come.

She stood up and began to walk towards the man, smiling, the way he knew her. "I just get upset sometimes, and well, stupid things set me off like that... I try to suppress it but usually that just causes me to get even more aggravated. I get it from my father, though that's really no excuse... you'd think I was a child by the way I act, I really need to be more responsible." She was off apologizing for herself, ranting without even realizing it.

Without saying anything else on the matter she nodded her head, smile back in place, intelligent look in her eyes. "Well, let's go then!" And she moved in front of the baffled Seishi, not waiting for him to follow.

Aya awoke in the middle of the night to find Cat sleeping next to her, she then turned to find that Tasuki was awake, seated next to the fire. He seemed to be brooding over something, his brows furrowed as he prodded the kindle. Aya decided to join the bandit, besides it was warmer there. With her blanket wrapped around her like a cloak she seated herself next to him, watching the fire as he was. "Something bothering you?"

Tasuki sent his amber eyes towards the girl, but soon they were back on the fire. _Maybe I should try out that stuff Taka told me 'bout... _He shifted in his spot, trying to find something to say, hoping that she wouldn't end up pummeling him.

"You know, If you don't want to say anything, it's fine with me." Aya stared at the fire, her voice causing a greater silence than before. She felt the seishi beside her settle, as if he had reconsidered what he was going to end up saying. Inwardly, she sighed. _Think I ruined that moment._

They both sat staring into the full flames dancing in front of them, listening to it crackle to the silent desert. Aya's eyes had begun to droop, and she suspected she'd wake up in the morning with a serious back and neck ache, considering her hunched position. Just as sleep began to consume her, she heard a muttering and something move. When a hand touched her shoulder, she leapt up in surprise.

"Sorry," Tasuki mumbled. "I asked ya if ya wanted to move." He took her half-dazed look as a 'yes' and helped her shift positions. Aya suddenly found herself staring up at the red-head's face, and she felt her own face flush into that color. "Comfortable?"

Aya shifted her eyes away from the seishi's glowing face, trying to focus on something else. There was a moth getting too close to the fire, oh well, the flames were just as interesting. She never answered him, but was more awake than ever when her head was nestled in his lap.

Tasuki sighed inwardly when the girl drifted into silence. His idle hands began to comb through her hair, and slowly he felt her tense muscles start to relax. Just a fraction. "Do ya agree with Cat?"

"Hm?" Aya's attention was caught, and she moved her eyes back to stare up into those amber ones. It took a moment for the question to register. "'Bout what?"

He slowly moved his folded legs from under her head, his arms once again picking her head up so he could stretch them out. When he settled back down, he had moved her a bit more so that they both felt more comfortable. "'Bout the Vee, Veroar, or whatever he was. That we're underestimating it, y'know."

"I don't know," she replied, sighing. "Seriously, we fought him once and we didn't really attack him directly. We're not sure at all at this point, only that he's hiding, so it has to mean something."

"Guess so," Tasuki shrugged. He used one arm to prop himself and the other to slowly glide through Aya's hair.

A brief comfortable moment of silent passed and Aya opened her mouth again, "Or he could just be a coward." She felt Tasuki's hand hesitate a moment. "He comes from another realm. I'm not surprised if he suspected us to be weaker."

The seishi snorted. "Then he really jus' underestimated us an' all we gotta do is find the bastard, kick his ass, an' go home."

There was a longer silence that time around, and Aya felt that it wasn't as comfortable as the last one. "Home." she muttered softly, not aware that her living pillow heard her.

"Sleep Aya; we've still got travelin' to do."

She shifted her head, sighed, and closed her eyes. She didn't realize how tired she was, because she found sleep only a few breaths later.


	16. Chapter 15

Cat here!

Wow, just to forewarn everyone,_ loads_ of drama in this chapter. Well, it had to be done... not really, but where's the fun in that? As always thanks to everyone that has reviewed so far and please continue to do so, this includes people who haven't yet! We LOVE to hear from you guys, and it's really nice to know what everyone thinks of our work so far :D Aya is currently packing for a trip so I'll do the honors today.

**Disclaimer:** Even after 16 chapters Aya and myself have not acquired the rights to Fushigi Yuugi, le sigh. The great Watase Yuu is the creator and owner of Fushigi Yuugi, all its sexy characters included!

Aya and Cat still own themselves... at least last time they checked. Oh yeah, V is still theirs too!

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**Chapter 15**

Cat stared out of a window, she had been stuck inside the inn all day and she was now beyond bored. The others had found ways to busy themselves during this break in investigation, but Cat always found it hard to keep herself occupied. She needed companionship in order to be happy, and by now everyone wanted to be on their own.

_I thought the capital would be more interesting..._

It hadn't been long since they had arrived to the capital of Sairo, all their time was spent investigating for new leads, it seemed the ones that had lead them to the city had been a little outdated. Things were calm in the area, no news of Vereor to be had.

She sighed as she watched the rain drops roll down the window pane, the sky outside was a dark gray. The clouds had all merged together forming a single large gloomy glob that had remained over the town for the past few days.

Right as she was wishing for something to do a man of around fifty ran into the inn, completely drenched. He wore modest clothes and had the appearance of a farmer. He quickly ran towards the inn keeper and began to converse with him in a frantic voice. Cat moved closer in order to hear better, wondering what all the commotion was about.

"Yi Min has come down with the sickness, I must speak with the doctor at once!" The man cried out as he grabbed a hold of the inn keepers right arm.

"The doc left a few days ago and hasn't been back since, sorry Shen but ain't nothing I can do for ya." The inn keeper said with some remorse, but he didn't hold it for long, he had clients to attend to. He quickly left the man after giving him these few words.

Shen stood frozen in place for a good twenty seconds. He then composed himself and readied to go out in the storm yet again in order to seek help for his ailing daughter. But before he could, Cat stood before him.

"Excuse me sir, but I might be able to help your daughter."

Shen gave Cat an odd look, he had never seen a girl of her appearance before. Her clothes were one thing, but her complexion and features just made her stand out even more. He frowned and wondered what a girl could possibly do to help his deathly ill child, but before he could dismiss her aide she began to persuade him.

After giving him a brief, and slightly misleading, explanation of her 'healing technique' he became intrigued and excited.

"We must leave right away, then!" Shen said as he began heading for the door.

Cat began following but then recalled that she should let the others know she was going to leave the inn before going with the stranger. After asking the man to give her a few minutes she quickly ran to where the others had last been. She found Aya playing with Tama in one of the rooms.

"I'm going out, I'll be back soon!" Cat said with a smile. She was just about to leave, when Aya got to her feet.

"Where are you going?" She asked with a shocked look on her face. It wasn't like they were back home, she couldn't just wander the streets of some strange town and not go with someone.

After Cat briefly explained the situation Aya decided to head out with her.

"If there are two of us, they can't get too upset." Aya stated. Besides they weren't sure as to where the others were, and there wasn't enough time to keep looking until they found one of the guys.

The two other worldly girls quickly rejoined Shen and then made their way to his home where Yi Min awaited.

It didn't take too long for the Seishi to realize that the girls were gone. Tasuki had gone to find Aya and when his search provided no results he went in search of Cat who was missing as well. He began to grow frustrated, wondering where the girls had gone when he ran into Taka.

"Oi, Taka, have you seen Cat an' Aya?"

Taka's brows furrowed as he thought back to the last time he had seen either of the girls. It had been a half hour since their departure.

"Now that I think of it, I haven't seen them for quiet some time... why is something wrong?" But Tasuki didn't answer, he was already on his way to find Chichiri and report the problem.

Cat and Aya had arrived at the home of Shen and Cat had already set to work healing the fifteen year old girl. She suffered from a flu sort of illness and was gravely sick. Cat had not told Shen that she had been granted healing powers from Suzaku, instead she had told him that she had studied under a great doctor and knew much of herb lore. She had gotten Aya to keep Shen and his wife out of the room while she healed the girl, not wanting them to see her kanji symbol.

Once she was finished the girl opened her soft brown eyes and looked up at Cat who was standing over her. She was very confused and immediately asked for her parents. After the reunion, Shen offered the girls dinner as a form of repaying them.

"We really shouldn't, we have to get back soon." Cat said politely.

"But how can we ever repay you?" Shen asked with a slightly flustered look on his face. He was a proud man and he always made sure to repay his debts.

"Well, could you escort us back to the inn?" Cat asked the man. She was slightly tired after healing Yi Min and figured it would be better to have a man escort them back.

Shen agreed happily and they soon set off after saying good bye to his wife and Yi Min. Cat wore a large smile as she walked next to Aya, she was glad to have been able to help.

But the ambient was not that of light heartedness back at the inn. Chichiri had been informed of the girls disappearance and they had all set out in search of them. The inn was large, so there was a good chance that they were still inside the building. Miaka and Yui also joined the search, asking random people if they had seen the two.

The inn keeper had seen the two girls leave with Shen and he informed them of this when Yui asked him about the missing girls. She then quickly relayed this information to Chichiri and Tasuki who were about to leave the inn and begin a search of the town itself.

"Why would they just leave the inn, and by their selves too!" Tasuki cried out in exasperation. He knew that Aya wasn't easy prey, but it was still dangerous to wander.

But at that very moment Cat, Aya and Shen walked in through the main entrance. They were all wet from the downpour that had begun outside, but they were still happy. The girls had been listening to some folk lore that Shen had provided as entertainment for the rather long walk. The Seishi and the miko all turned to face the group, they held looks of confusion, relief, and agitation on their faces

"Where da hell have ya been!" Gen Chan asked in a small rage. He was relieved that they were alright, but he had been given quiet a shock. His eyes twitched slightly as he waited for an answer.

Cat was about to explain everything when all of a sudden Shen stepped up. He had not intended for the girls to get in any sort of trouble, and he wanted to make sure that they knew what had happened. He saw this as another part of repaying his debt. After the story of the deathly sick Yi Min the group all lost their pent up anger, for those who held it.

After saying their goodbyes, Shen departed, wishing the girls a safe trip and stating that he would keep them in his prayers. Immediately after Shen left, the group went back to whatever it was they had been doing, after telling the girls to stay put. Aya decided to join Tasuki, leaving Cat to go get some rest.

Chichiri escorted the girl to her room and made sure that she was in bed before leaving her to rest. But she didn't have much time for it. Word had spread through town about a mysterious girl that healed any illness. Shen's wife had not been able to keep the secret and had told a few people who then in turn told others. Soon after a large group of villagers crowded the inn, begging for the girl to heal their sicknesses.

Cat was just falling asleep when she heard the commotion. She tried to ignore it but she couldn't, it was very loud. She took the blanket off of her and headed down stairs, she looked like she had just gotten up from a long slumber. Her hair bobbed up and down from its messy pony tail as she descended the stairs. Chichiri met her half way down, he had been climbing up in order to keep her in bed, he was a bit too late.

He frowned as he looked at the tired girl, she rubbed her eyes while she asked the Seishi what was going on. Before he could answer, though, someone from the crowd downstairs had gotten a glimpse of the girl. From the description that was being passed around he knew that it must be the healer. The man ran up the stairs and reached the girl, he then grabbed her right hand, and began to beg for her to heal his son.

Soon the inn became full of shouts, everyone wanted Cat to heal their children, spouses, or friends. A confused Cat looked from face to face, hearing each and every plea. She knew that she couldn't heal everyone, but she wanted to at least help those who really needed it. But Chichiri didn't have this in mind. He felt that healing once a day was more than enough.

"Cat you must rest, you have already healed one person today, no da." The monk said as he grabbed her left hand and began to lead her up the stairs. But the villager still held her right hand. He tightened his grip when he realized that his chance for the healing of his son was being taken away.

Cat looked back at the man, his face was pitiful. He was begging her from the bottom of his heart, offering her everything he owned.

"Please don't let him die!" The man said as tears began to appear.

Cat stood still for a moment, debating on what to do. But she had already made up her mind. She got her hand free from Chichiri's gentle grasp and placed it on the mans left shoulder, he had kneeled in front of her while he begged her for help.

"Where is your son?" She asked him gently as he lifted his face. She smiled softly to him while she listened to him explain his illness, it sounded like another flu case.

Chichiri had been a bit shocked when Cat had taken back her hand, he had expected her to listen to him. He frowned as he watched her accept the task of healing the villagers child. He knew that her mind was made up, the only thing that he could do was go with her and make sure she'd be alright. The rest of the people who had come for help all began to scream out their pleas, hoping that Cat would help them as well.

As hard as she found it to be, Cat tuned them out. She knew that she wouldn't have any energy left after healing the child, so they would just have to wait till tomorrow.

Chichiri and Cat arrived late in the evening, they had been offered a meal at the man's house and they accepted. Chichiri yet again escorted the now much weaker girl to her room and waited for her to get settled in. He was about to bid her good night when she sat up in her bed.

"Chiri kun, I'm sorry that I didn't listen to you today... I know you told me to take it easy but I really felt that I could heal him without too much of a problem, so I took the risk." Her soft eyes locked on with the Seishi as she stated her case, not shying away as she usually did. She had grown more confident around the man since her arrival, now be able to hold conversations without being nervous. "I think I've gotten a little stronger since I got here, I might be able to help more then one person from now on."

The monk simply frowned, his worry obvious. "But don't push yourself too hard, no da. There's no reason for you to have to carry such a burden on your own, that's why we are here as well, no da." He let out a sigh as he moved his gaze away from her, watching Aya's empty bed instead.

"But no one else would have been able to heal those children, I don't do these things just to show off... I do it because I have to, because the reason I was given this..." Cat paused as she examined her left hand, trying to find the right words. "This 'ability' was so that I could help others. And that's exactly what I plan on doing, until I no longer can."

Chichiri was slightly taken aback by how concrete her statement was, he wasn't used to her being so stubborn. A new side seemed to be emerging from the girl, slowly, but emerging none the less. Perhaps it was because she no longer viewed their relationship as such a stiff one of sheer curtsey? In either case, the new Cat was proving to be a challenge, she certainly wasn't as docile as he had believed her to be originally. He gave her a good long look before letting off a sigh. "Well, if you are sure you can handle it... but just promise me you'll be careful, no da."

"I promise." Cat brightly smiled as she said so, reaffirming the man that she intended to keep the promise.

Chichiri gave his own smile before heading off. Despite the new changes, she was still the same girl in the end.

Even though he lay in bed, the monk could not sleep. Why did he continue to think of her, even in his dreams her smiling face would appear.

_It's as if... no, it couldn't be._

The man turned over on his back, watching the ceiling above him and giving off an annoyed sigh. There was no way he was in love with her, no way he would ever be in love with anyone ever again, not after Koran.

On the other side of the room, Tasuki shifted in his sleep, producing some soft murmuring. Besides that the room was silent. Chichiri began to think back to the first day the girls had arrived, trying to see if she might possibly have any feelings for him. His forehead furrowed in concentration the Seishi recalled every event that might be significant. By the time he had given up, he had dismissed every possibility, the night was nearly done. He finally closed his eye, settling in for some sleep. But even though he continued to tell himself there was no way the girl loved him, he still felt something tugging at him, saying otherwise.

The next day Cat roamed around the inn. She was tired of being in her room all day. She tried to find Aya and the others, but her search hadn't provided any results. She brought her jacket closer around her, it was chilly. The rain had created a very cold environment, even indoors. It had been raining straight in the village for the past two weeks.

As she walked down the dimly lit hallway she noticed that one of the rooms was slightly opened. She tried to look inside, but the opening wasn't large enough for her to tell if someone was inside. But she soon discovered that someone was occupying the small room. The sound of a soft sigh made its way to the curious girl. She opened the door a bit more to see who had produced such a depressing sound.

Near an opened window stood Chichiri. He had his hands placed on the window sill and looked out to the storm clouds that loomed above. Rain drops fell softly on his hands, but he ignored it. He was pensive over the recent events which had taken place. But he soon realized that he was being observed. He turned his head to face the other occupant and found Cat standing in the doorway.

"Sorry!" The girl blurted out.

She turned to leave, but then realized how troubled the Seishi looked. She stood still for a moment and then spoke again, this time in a much more composed manner.

"Is there something bothering you, Chiri kun?" She asked as she turned to face him yet again.

Chichiri watched the girl as he recalled his previous nights labor of trying to uncover the truth. He knew that she couldn't possibly feel that way, she didn't love him. And if she did, she loved him in the same way that she loved everyone else. But their bond had gotten stronger since their attack by the hydra. And recently they were spending more and more time together. He frowned as he tried to understand what had been going on recently.

Even though he had vowed to never think of another woman for as long as he lived, he had somehow started to feel something that was stronger than friendship towards her. Why had he allowed this to happen? He couldn't let things continue as they were going. But he had already tried to ignore her, and that had only lead to his being held in her arms.

_I didn't try as hard as I should have_. He scolded himself, he would have to be strong if he was going to keep his promise.

The girl continued to wait for an answer, her eyes watching the monk's masked face. He seemed to be struggling with something deep inside himself. She dropped her gaze, looking at the wooden floor while she tried to think of something to say, something to bring him back to reality. But when she thought of something and brought her gaze back up to meet the Seishi, she found that he was gone. She quickly spun around, trying to find him but to no avail. The only evidence that he had been there was the still open window.

Aya stared off into space, tilting as far back as possible in a chair near the entrance of the inn. She counted cracks in the ceiling, trying to ease her boredom.

_When the hell is that guy gonna show up? It's been forever since we actually saw the bastard..._

Her eyes narrowed into slits as she continued to ponder their enemies location, he had been in hiding so long she had lost any shred of anxiety she had about his powers. At that moment Miaka and Yui entered the room, their attention caught by the American. Aya briefly closed her eyes, only to find the Suzaku no miko starting back at her when she reopened them.

"Ack!" She cried as she tried to balance herself, not wanting to fall on the floor. With a loud thud the chair fell back into its normal position, all four legs on the ground. "Don't do that!" She huffed out as she scowled at the girl.

"Oh, sorry Aya chan, I didn't think you would wake up." Miaka seemed genuinely flustered, but Yui simply gave off a string of giggles. "Are you feeling alright? You don't look so good."

_Would you look okay after nearly breaking your head open?_ Aya seethed from her spot, soon settling back to her previous positions now that she was aware of the other occupants. "I'm fine, I was just thinking about something." She rested her hands on her lap as she used a foot to push off a table, tilting back yet again.

"Thinking? About what?" Yui was now looking down at the girl, hoping the subject would be a certain Suzaku sichiseishi.

"'Bout V." Her curt answer caused the two girls to wince, their hopes obviously had been dashed. Aya simply rolled her eyes and looked back up at the cracks, trying to remember where she had left off.

"Are you worried? Since we're getting so close to him?" Miaka took an empty chair nearby, trying to bring the girl back into conversation. They barely spoke, it was usually just Aya and Cat in one corner and Yui and Miaka in the other, she wished they would all get along better.

"Just that he keeps running away, he must be seriously scared of us if he keeps fleeing like that, I mean, why else would he act that way?" Aya had contemplated just giving off a reply that wouldn't allow for further conversation, but she didn't really mind the miko all that much. In reality, she felt closer to them then the others would think. Perhaps it had something to do with knowing the tragedies they had faced, but she did admire them for their courage.

"Well, when we do finally corner him, things will be over quickly. Taka is a great fighter and Tasuki is as fast as they come, Chichiri is incredibly strong and you and Cat make a great team. We have offense and defense, I can't possibly imagine us losing." Yui's voice sounded slightly excited, the thrilling thoughts of an oncoming battle perhaps? But it didn't seem like she was the type to want to fight, not like this anyways, perhaps it was just so they could teach him a lesson, to make him pay for what he had already done? Aya shifted her eyes over to the blonde, sending them back to the ceiling before anyone could catch them. No, she didn't seem like the warrior type, she just wanted justice.

"You know, I wonder who would win in a duel, Taka or Tasuki." Miaka questioned as she watched the emissary.

"Tasuki, no question." Aya's voice seemed a little proud as she announced the answer, so sure of herself that her Gen-chan was the best. "Last time didn't count, it wasn't fair." She only caught the severity of her statement until after it had left her mouth, she simply tensed up and continued to stare at the cracks, hoping Miaka would not piece it together,

"What do you mean last time?" The miko did ask, frowning as she watched the girl continue to stare off.

"A lead!" Taka barged through the doors of the inn, yelling the words out to the group as soon as he caught sight of them.

The miko jumped up at the announcement, more surprised by the volume then by the content. Aya simply went back, she had been caught off guard, jumping from the surprise and now she was falling back, she simply winced as she anticipated the pain. Luckily the proclaimed winner of any fights against Taka was coming out to meet the group at the sound of the announcement, instincts and reflexes taking hold he managed to catch the chair just before it hit the ground. "Do ya mean ya found out where V is?" His gruff voiced questioned the man as he nonchalantly raised Aya's chair back to it's normal position, soon afterwards walking towards Taka to continue the conversation.

"Yes, I heard from a couple that he has settled down in a small village not too far from here, It's not more then a day's travel they said!" Taka's excited explanation continued to captivate all present, sparing Aya peers at her red face. Soon Chichiri walked in and not too long after it was decided that they would head out for the village at once.

"We won't make it today, no da. But we should be there before night fall tomorrow, na no da." Without much more discussion the party set off to ready themselves for the impromptu trip, all eager to meet with Vereor and settle things.

The group traveled on into the early evening. Chichiri lead the way, and didn't wish to stop until necessary. He wished to make it to Vereor as quickly as possible.

During that evening Miaka and Taka were found in deep discussion. They sat some way off from the group, far from the light of the camp fire. Miaka was wrapped in Taka's arms while they pondered Aya and Tasuki's relationship.

"I'm glad that Tasuki finally found someone, I mean he couldn't go on alone forever." Miaka giddily stated.

Even though Aya and Tasuki had their share of arguments, it wasn't difficult at all to tell that they loved each other very much. But soon the conversation turned to focus on Chichiri. Taka explained his theory on the blooming romance between the monk and Cat.

Miaka had finally started to realize it as well with the aide of her love. She thought that Cat made a good companion for the Seishi, she was very caring and gentle and was always cheerful. But she knew that a relationship would have difficulty developing due to Chichiri's past. Her face dropped as she continued to think of these things, Taka finally asked her what she thought of, bringing the girl out of her pensive mood.

"I feel bad for Cat... I mean I don't think Chichiri will ever get over his past. I don't think he'll ever be able to move on." The miko announced to her beloved. She couldn't imagine how difficult it must be to be involved in something like that.

"That's probably why she hasn't said anything to him yet, she probably knows how he'd react if she told him the truth... so she tries to stop herself from falling for him, but she can't. You can't help how you feel about someone." Taka added as he let out a sigh.

Unknown to the two, someone had overheard their conversation. Chichiri had been walking past the two when he heard their voices. He was about to call out their names when he heard Cat's name mentioned along with his. He had remained in the shadows, listening to their conversation. As the conversation died off he had turned around and headed off into the woods.

Ever since Cat had found the Seishi alone in the room he had been very distant towards her. She now sat wondering when he'd return from wherever he had gone. Everyone was back except him, they were getting ready for bed. One by one they nodded off, falling asleep by the warm fire, but Cat couldn't sleep. She stood up, ready to search for Chichiri now that everyone was asleep.

"You shouldn't go off on your own," Aya's voice traveled over to her. "You might get lost." She seemed tired, but somehow her rustling to go off to find the Seishi has awoken the girl. Cat went over to Aya's bedroll, seating herself next to the girl.

"And why are you still up? We've got an action packed day ahead of us, you should get plenty of rest." Cat glanced off towards where she had seen the monk last, trying not to show her anxiety over his absence.

"He always leaves, you know that. The guy's odd that way." Aya easily caught her friends thoughts, frowning at her as she finally sat up. "You've been acting kind of weird lately, is something wrong?"

Cat brought her eyes back to her friend, settling back into a more comfortable position. "I don't know, he's been acting a little differently lately... like he's trying to keep away from me. You don't think he knows, do you?"

Aya pondered for a moment, turning her head to look at the spot Cat had been intent on moments ago and then examining her friend. "I don't think so, but he will find out eventually... better that he hears it from you rather then someone else. You know how that guy is when it comes to girls, maybe if you tell him directly he won't freak as much." Aya scratched her head, debating if that really was the best option. After a while she nodded her head, agreeing with herself. "Yeah, I think that if he heard from someone other then you it'd turn out really bad, he might think you were hiding it from him and trying to make him fall for you..." She frowned as she analyzed her last statement, not being in the best advice giving situation this late at night.

"You're right, I can't keep hiding forever. He really has a right to know." Cat's eyes went towards the sky, taking a moment before rising to her feet. Before she could begin to move though, Aya called to her.

"Good luck."

It was such a simple wish, but for the first time in a while Cat felt confident. She knew things might go bad, but Aya's words helped give her that final push, the will she needed to go and tell the first man she had ever loved how she felt. She smiled back at her friend, finally realizing how difficult it must have been for her to reveal her love to Tasuki.

_Now it's my turn._

She made her way through the dense forest, parting branches and brush as best she could. It was very dark and cold, and to make things even more interesting it soon began to rain again. She only wore a thin tank top and her jeans, she had left her jacket back on her sleeping mat. She debated going back to retrieve it when she finally noticed that the forest was ending. She decided that since the rain was very light, she would keep on looking, she had a feeling she'd find Chichiri soon.

When she finally did emerge from the woods the sound of water reached her ears. The pale moon glimmered on the surface of a rushing river that lay not too far from the clearing. It was nearly overflowing from all the rain that had been deposited in it. The water was a shade of very dark blue, almost black. The only other color that was produced was white from the foam that the swirling water created, it was moving at an incredible speed.

But soon the girls attention was drawn away from the river when she saw a figure standing near the bank not to far off. She walked towards the shadow and soon it was revealed that it was a mask less Chichiri. He was lost in thought, watching the river churn in front of him. He had been there since he had overheard Miaka and Taka's conversation. He refused to believe what they had said, but still something inside of him claimed that it was the truth. He couldn't keep going like this, he needed to make sure that she didn't love him so that he could be at peace.

Cat soon stood behind the monk, she watched him in silence while the rain steadily grew stronger and the wind began to pick up. Finally she realized that he was not going to notice her, she would have to speak up.

"Chichiri..." She called out to him.

But he didn't face her. She took a step forward, but before she could reach him he spoke in a voice that sent chills down her spine. It was harsh, she had never heard him so serious before.

"I need you to tell me something..."

Cat stood silent and still, waiting for what he needed from her. She held her breathe, fearing what would come next.

"Do you love me?"

The only sound came from the river which continued its violent path.

Moments passed, but it felt like they had been standing there for an eternity. Chichiri became fearful at the silence that had fallen between them, why hadn't she reassured him that she didn't?

"Answer me!" He cried out.

Cat knew that she couldn't stay quiet forever, she had to tell him the truth. Even though the truth would cost her everything she had hoped for... she couldn't keep hiding forever.

"I... I do... I love you." Her voice barely made it over the sound of the rushing water and the winds howl.

She waited for him to say something, but nothing came. Her heart beat as fast as it could, she had to see his face, she had to know that he had heard her.

She walked slowly, finally coming to stand in front of him, but he had his face lowered, his wet hair covering his eyes. She reached out her hand towards one of his which hung limply by his side. As soon as they touched, he reacted. He swatted it away and turned from her.

"Chichiri, wait!" Cat called out to him, she took one step forward but soon his voice soon stopped her.

"Stay away from me... don't ever come close to me, don't speak to me, don't even look at me... STAY OUT OF MY LIFE!" He cried out, tears soon appeared in his eye and ran down his face along with the rain drops from the black sky above.

Her own tears came out uncontrollably as well, she could barely breathe. But despite everything that had been said, Cat couldn't stay away. She hadn't even realize what she was doing, but somehow her body had moved her forward, she had placed her small hands over one of his, they were frozen.

"Please, don't leave me..."

The fear her heart felt was revealed in her simple words. She stood shivering from her emotions and the cold water that had now drenched her to the bone. Some where along the way... some where she had truly fallen in love with him.

This had given her the courage to reach out to him, to touch him... if only for a second, if only for this one moment.

The hand which she did not hold quickly shoved her away. He didn't even look up at her while she stumbled back and the soft earth gave way. The rain had caused the ground near the river to become weak and it could not endure the weight of the small girl.

But almost immediately after his actions, something inside of him told him to look back. When he did he found the girl falling into the black waters. He reached out his hands trying to grab hold of her, but their hands slightly missed each other, their fingertips almost touching. He watched helplessly as the water consumed her in a matter of seconds.

Several hours later, the last of the fire was burning a dark red in the damp logs and soon extinguished itself. The group at their camp site had relocated under a few trees even in the light drizzle and most had nodded off again; all except for an anxious girl and a red-headed seishi.

"I bet Chichiri finally broke that shell he's always hidin' in, Aya." Tasuki muttered, his head banging slowly on the trunk he was leaning on. In front of him a short American bobbed back and forth in his line of sight, pacing.

She shook her head savagely, hands wringing together. "No, I know Cat. If she told him how she feels, then they would have been back."

"They would've if that monk didn't feel the same. Bet they've fallen asleep together 'way from pryin' eyes."

Aya shot him a dry look and stopped, facing the taller man. "I doubt that very much. She told him, but it's going to be tough to get that far. I mean--" And she cut herself off, eyes peeling away.

Tasuki understood where she was going and huffed angrily. "We work our own pace an' they work at theirs."

To this, the girl actually smirked. "I've got a feeling that they are going to be much more stubborn than us." She boldly walked forward and leaned against the red-head, her ear pressed against his chest. She felt his arms go around her. _Sadly, this is as far as we dare go. That and cuddling. _She turned those thoughts away, focusing on the problem. With a sigh, she pulled away from the bandit's embrace just in time to catch sight of a dark figure stumbling from the woods.

Chichiri, maskless, and somehow disorientated tripped forward. Thankfully, they had a seishi with the power of speed that made it in time to catch his friend. "Chichiri! Are ya alright? Was it Vereor?"

The blue-haired man turned his eye from the ground upwards, one arm clutched into Tasuki's tunic. He stared for awhile, and at first they all thought he was stuck under their enemy's spell before he shook his head slowly.

Fear gripped Aya from the moment he came into the campsite, but now she paled even more considerably. "Where's Cat?" Her voice was low and bordering on dangerous.

This actually brought Chichiri's gaze to her, and he seemed to shake himself. He did not reply.

"Where is she?" Aya's scream finally woke up the rest of their party, and they jerked up from their positions so suddenly that Miaka actually fell back down again. Taka helped her up, and with Yui the three stared in silence, seeing an obvious problem. "Where.. is Cat?" The emissary repeated, controlled strained.

"She--" Chichiri's voice cracked, and he nearly lost his composure. He grew limp and Tasuki had to help him upright again. When he gained his footing, he took a few deep breaths. Everyone else held their own. "She's gone." his voice was a bare whisper.

Aya could not hear him from the pounding in her chest, and the fear this time clouded her senses. "What?" She gasped.

"She's gone," Chichiri this time said more clearly with a moan to his own voice, tears finally finding their way down his eye, past previously dried trails over his cheeks. "S-she fell. Into the river." The relived horror was tearing him apart.

And Aya agreed with that same horror. Tasuki saw the flash in her eyes and the glow one second before it was too late. He let go of his friend and in an instant braced his body against a fully transformed Seiryuu envoy.

"I'LL KILL YOU!" Aya snarled, large claws raking at the air over Tasuki's shoulder, her full body trying to plow the grown man to the ground, who was actually slowly being moved forward. Her eyes flash yellow, then red, then back to yellow. Fangs grew and she growled, spat, and cursed her lungs out. "I'll kill you right now, monk! I'll tear your throat out!" Just as she powered up, muscles bunching in her snapped back haunches, Taka came into play and helped his fellow seishi. His strength greatly stopped her movement towards the monk, but it did not stop her thrashing.

"Aya! Calm down!" Tasuki was shouting at her, and Taka joined in. "We'll find her! She's alive! Please!" But it did not help. The wild beast emerged, and the curses died down to loud growls and howls, snarls and teeth gnashing together.

Exhausting her power to an extent, Aya's knees buckled. Tasuki went down with her, Taka catching himself before he dropped on the two. A low powerful howl of pain erupted from the young girl, her yellow eyes paling, fur diminishing, until everything died to deep mourning moan.

With Yui and Miaka holding onto each other, witnessing the scene, and crying, Taka decided to go over and comfort his girlfriend. Tasuki held onto the grieving girl until her voice got low enough to hear the monk's voice above it all.

"I'm sorry."

* * *

Cat: Told you it was a lot of drama... Hope you enjoyed it though, please leave a review on your way out. Just to humor us if for nothing else. XD 


	17. Chapter 16

For those reviewers that kept asking if Cat's alright… What the hell, man! She fell into a raging river! Of /course/ she's dead! Oh, Aya here. Sorry about the long wait, we hope this makes up for it. I've had a bad case of writer's block.

Thanks for all those reviewers, and keep reading! Even if we're down one in the party…

Disclaimer—We don't own the FY gang. I own myself and Cat owns her corpse. And we both like to ravish V at night. Shh, don't tell the boys.

On with the show!

**Chapter 16**

A lifeless body drifted down the river, its face turned towards the dawning sky. Its clothes were in tatters and cuts and scratches decorated the tortured flesh. But even though the body seemed to lack life it was engulfed in a red glow, the color seemed to emanate from the bodies very skin. Even though the eyes did not open, it had regained consciousness it had taken a gasping breath and then settled back into its motionless state, allowing the river to continue to guide its path.

Zhijian, a humble farmer, walked along the river bank with his eight year old daughter Mei-yu in tow. He carried two fishing polls with one hand, and his daughters hand in the other. The tall and slender man was in his early fifties and had a pleasant face, his black eyes and short kept hair glistened in the early sunlight. He enjoyed fishing early in the morning and his daughter usually accompanied him. Mei-yu was a very beautiful child, her waist long pitch black hair was tied back in a braid, it swung from side to side with every small step she took with her petite feet. Her brown eyes darted from place to place as she walked along with her father.

While the little girl examined her surroundings the body appeared amidst the now clearer waters. The girl noticed this and immediately told her father. They both ran towards it, but it was in a deep part of the river. Zhijian quickly jumped into the freezing water after discarding his fishing poles, slippers and shirt. Soon he returned with the young girl in his arms.

"How do you suppose she fell in?" A soft female voice asked.

Cat had begun to regain consciousness, but she refused to open her eyes. She wanted to believe she was dead, far from everything this ancient world held. She remained still and listened to the conversation that took place in the room.

"I have no idea, but I heard that a village upstream lost many of its people because of the flooding... maybe that's where she's from." Zhijian had a soothing voice, but his statement was full of doubt.

Cat was left to the care of Huan-yue, Zhijian's forty-two year old wife. It was obvious where Mei-yu got her looks from, her mother had given her daughter her eyes and hair, along with a good natured round face.

After the village doctor had taken a look at the girl and aided her, they had decided to change her clothes since hers were no longer usable. They sported many tears and in some places were shredded beyond repair. Huan-yue had dressed the girl in a soft white robe, hoping to make her comfortable while she struggled to regain consciousness.

While she lay in bed Cat tried to think of how she had managed to survive her being swept away by the river. As soon as she had fallen in she had lost consciousness, she didn't know it, but her head had struck a rock.

_Why didn't I just drown? _

She had certainly given up on living at that point in time, she wanted to die. But something had stopped her. She vaguely recalled a voice that had spoken to her, it was smooth but firm, that of a man... but it was not a man. It had told her that she still had a job to do, she couldn't die, he must have been the one to save her.

_Suzaku... _

She stirred slightly, a bit uncomfortable with the answer she had provided for herself. She had forgotten the bond she shared with the phoenix god, all this time she hadn't really needed to think much of it. That connection was the reason she was still in this world, alive. Still pondering these theories she drifted off into an uneasy sleep.

* * *

The traveling party was not doing that well either. Aya had agreed not to slit Chichiri's throat while he slept and instead wait until word came from Cat. She refused to believe that her friend was gone forever. They took on a rescue mission besides their current Vereor tracking. Aya constantly took the lead, awake before dawn in order to clang a pail for attention to get going. She remained in a foul mood, but always turned for support from the red-haired Suzaku shichiseishi when the grieving began to set it. 

It was the second night since the disappearance of the Suzaku emissary, and they had shared a total of twenty proper sentences among the whole group. They were setting up camp while Aya patrolled the boarding area, searching the river they followed downstream. When she returned, she found Miaka and Yui setting the fire and Taka and Tasuki gone to hunt.

Chichiri had gone maskless since he returned from the riverbank, and he sat hunched over a map, silent from his far-off corner of the camp. When he stood up to reach for a pack that held more scrolls to study, a chill caught his spine. His weary eye glanced up, and found the cool eyes of Aya staring at him. It only took a second before he turned away.

"We're trying our hardest," he said softly, still choking up on his words afterwards. "I-I.. I'm such a fool."

"Damn right," Aya growled, stepping forward. She clenched and unclenched her fists, steps rigid as she tried to control her temper. "She has only been kind to us, and especially to you. She only looks for acceptance, for love." She sneered at the word, eyes narrowing. "But I suppose you only know how to destroy that."

The seishi winced, looking away. "You wouldn't understand. I promise to help look for Cat"

"But then what?" Aya's voice slowly rose in volume. "You've done the worse thing imaginable, you know that? Breaking her this way."

"We've got to find Vereor as well. People are dying--"

"To hell with that!" Aya screamed, cutting the monk off. "_Cat_ could be dying!" Before the monk could gain the breathe to start an argument, if that were on his mind, Aya struck out a leg. She hit his shin with enough force to make him lose balance. Just as he shut his eyes in pain, leaning to one side, her leg came up and struck him with much satisfaction in the groin.

"Aya!" Tasuki bellowed, having just passed the trees into their small clearing. He dropped the night's hunt, running to grab the girl before she could continue her attacks. He felt Taka follow right after, reaching Chichiri who had obviously felt that last one quite a bit and fallen to his knees.

Aya, indifferent to the pained monk, turned away as she headed into the woods. She felt Tasuki follow beside her, his angry steps kicking up the foliage. "Leave me alone." she muttered darkly. It was just slightly surprising when Aya had her shoulder roughly pulled back, and she was twisted around to be shoved none too gently into the nearest trunk of a tree.

Tasuki hovered right above her, eyes blazing as he glared with all his might. "Ya runnin' on my last nerves. That was insensitive an' undeserving to Chichiri! He's hurtin' 'bout it, but we still got 'nother mission to think 'bout!"

Aya could not keep his gaze for long. She turned her head, trying to keep from shaking. "He did deserve it. Cat is gone because of his selfish stupidity, and no one cares that she's been tossed down that river. No one cares!" She closed her eyes against the pressure of the seishi's hand on her shoulder. "If I were to fall in, no one would care either." she hissed at the end. She regretted the words, but she could not help say them.

Without replying, Tasuki's other hand reached up and grabbed her face, wrapped around her chin. He brought her to look at him, and before Aya could protest she felt his warm lips pressed against hers in a bruising kiss. It lasted not even a second, only used to emphasize his point as he pulled away and moved the hand to clutch her other shoulder.

"People are dyin'," he growled low. "We all miss Cat, an' we're tryin' our best. But ya gotta remember people have died too. 'Cause of this jerk." He pulled his arms forward, bringing the silent girl into a crushing embrace. He leaned his chin on her head. "We'll find her."

Aya's defense broke, and she clung to Tasuki while sobbing quietly.

* * *

Cat finally realized that she had no real choice but to 'wake up'. The next day she was found with her brown eyes opened while she stared at the ceiling. Large black circles had formed under her eyes, she had been awake the entire night. The girl had been replaying the scene which had lead to her being in this place. 

_Chichiri... _

Mei-yu stood in the door way, watching the girl. She held a bowl of soup for her guest in her tiny hands. Cat eventually noticed the presence of the child and directed her gaze to her.

"Good morning, sister!" The joyful greeting resounded throughout the quiet room.

She walked towards Cat and held out the food with a smile. Cat slowly took the bowl and nodded her head in thanks. She then set it down on a small table that stood next to her bed. Huan-yue soon joined them followed by Zhijian. Huan-yue walked towards her and placed the bowl back in her hands as she began to tell her how happy they were to see her doing better. Zhijian than began asking her if she was from a village not far from their own.

"Oh, look at us getting ahead of ourselves, we don't even know your name!" Huan-yue stated in a flustered manner.

The family all waited for Cat to state her name, but nothing came. The girl watched their faces and then dropped her head, unable to speak. She lacked the will.

Huan-yue and Zhijian exchanged worried looks. But soon the silence was broken by Mei-yu.

"She is sister!" She exclaimed as she smiled brightly, her parents soon nodded in agreement deciding that for the time being it would work.

Cat remained in bed after the visit from her caretakers, staring at the ceiling as she her mind wandered. She wanted to stay like this, not to move on but just to fade away; but something finally broke the silence. The sound of singing came to her ears. It was soft and sweet and it entered her room through a slightly opened window.

After listening for a good while, Cat became curious as to whom the singer was. She slowly got to her feet for what felt like ages. Her legs were a bit wobbly but she soon gained control of them again.

The sun shone on the emerald green grass while the birds chirped happily. The village was small but it still held immense beauty. Tiny humble homes adorned the land, each with its own little garden, it was very charming. Cat stood in a trance, examining the land, but her attention was soon aroused yet again by the same voice. She quickly scanned the area and found that the owner was Mei-yu.

The little girl sat under a large tree and played with a doll made of cloth. It was worn from the constant use her owner had provided over the years. The child was off in her own world, happy as any little girl should be. Cat stood and watched her playing until she realized that someone had entered the room. Huan-yue carried fresh linen in her hands and smiled when Cat turned to face her.

"I'm glad to see you're up." The woman stated as she placed the linen on the bed.

Cat remained quiet as the woman went over to the window to see what had caught the girl's attention. When she realized that it had been Mei-yu's song she let out a small laugh.

"She has a wonderful voice. No matter how sad I may be, it always manages to melt all my sorrows away." The mother spoke in a gentle tone as she continued to watch her daughter.

Finally she spoke again, with the same motherly smile in place. "Why don't you give me a hand? I was just going out to help the village doctor in his rounds." She felt that keeping the girl occupied would help her get back to a more normal lifestyle. She couldn't continue lying in bed depressed.

Cat nodded her head and then followed Huan-yue out of the room.

* * *

The days were occupied with false hopes and helping the random villager with a problem. Occasionally Aya was thrilled to find a demon scouting the area on Vereor's commands, and would slay the creature on the spot. With the help of the others, of course. 

The young American woman still kept her distance from the monk, unable to control her temper around him. Chichiri was constantly away from the group, working on some tracking ahead of them or asking around for any local rumors. They still followed the river, though none of them spoke about the incident that much.

There was no word. None of the seishi felt their emissary's presence. Aya was unable to convince herself that her friend was gone. She waited at the bank for Cat to climb out and laugh about falling in. Or probably give her permission to attack Chichiri.

She clenched her fists, eyes staring into the rough waters of the river. Aya had been there all afternoon, waiting for the others to return with some supplies. There was word that they were catching up to their enemy, spotting more demons scavenging around in the region. Sairo was not that large of a country, and it would have been easy to conquer from the capital. The group was confused with V's latest plans.

_Probably underground watching us, _Aya growled in her mind. There was a crash behind her, making her whirl away from the water's edge and sprinting back towards the campsite.

"I'll burn ya, 'less ya tell us where he is!" Tasuki had dragged a village man, dressed as a farmer with dark hair pulled back. He had a hand pulling the man's arm back in a painful position while the other wielded his tessen.

"Tasuki!" Miaka cried, having just arrived with some fresh water for their campsite when the fiery seishi showed up with his prisoner. "What's going on here?"

Aya raised a brow, not voicing the same question.

Soon enough, Taka and Chichiri came into view behind the two. "He's possessed," Taka answered his girlfriend.

"Lord Vereor would never fall to you!" The man proved the seishi's words, hissing in pain as he struggling in Tasuki's grasp. "He… He'll rule this world! He'll rule them--"

"Shut up!" Tasuki kicked him into the ground, and then proceeded to strike him with his tessen a few times. "Jus' tell us where the hell that bastard is!"

"Tasuki, I think he's fainted, no da," Chichiri supplied softly.

Aya shook her head, coming up to the downed man after picking up some discarded rope by the mikos' bedrolls. Tasuki put away his weapon angrily. "Can't handle a lil' beating. V's an idiot at choosin these.."

"What was he used for?" Aya quietly asked in between her task of tying up their prisoner. "I mean, why possess when you're going to have demons destroy everything."

Taka helped Miaka and then Yui with the supplies they had gathered, setting up the fire they needed for the night. "He was asking around for some people. Some people that owe money… But I'm not sure what it has to do with Vereor."

Tasuki huffed, crossing his arms and saying, "It doesn' matter. He's our only direct link to this asshole."

"Which means we can't kill him," Aya stated bluntly.

Chichiri set aside his staff by a tree, and then approached the unconscious man cautiously, especially with Aya still in sight. "If we try to get whatever demon is inside him out, our friend might know what is happening, no da."

Aya spared him a dirty look. "I don't think V is that stupid. This boy might just forget everything when he awakens without whatever it is controlling him. Might as well take the insults and see if we can convince the demon."

The rest were silent, each trying to figure out what else to busy themselves with.

Deciding that the man was tied enough and wouldn't be waking up anytime soon, Aya got up and headed towards Tasuki who had settled onto their corner. She sat on her bedroll, facing the bandit. "Did he say if he was looking for someone in particular?"

Tasuki shook his head, running a hand through his hair afterwards. "Not really. Jus' some poor family. Wasn't really unusual, seeing that there's lots of people like that 'round here."

Aya shook her head slowly, brows scrunched together. "Something doesn't add up at all here."

The next day was just as confusing, but they had received some more answers. The group dragged the possessed man into the village and the inn where he had been found. The man was just waking up when he was dropped unceremoniously onto the cold stone ground.

"So, you were looking for someone," Aya began, playing with a knife she had been using to cut some cheese for breakfast. Her eyes were gently bleeding red for added effect. The rest of the morning visitors made sure to keep clear of the enraged girl.

"Lord Vereor will rule this world!" The demon hissed through the swollen face of the villager.

Tasuki kicked him, just hard enough to hurt. "We heard ya the first time. Who were ya lookin' for."

"No one," he snarled, though he was starting to fade again. Tasuki grabbed a hold of his shirt and pulled him up, slapping him across the face. "I won't say! I won't say!" The demon, on the verge of conscious, would not give in.

"Hey!" A gruff voice called from across the tavern. "Drop 'im." The owner came from a large man, rounded more than anything and with two fists ready to pummel something.

Chichiri finally came out from behind the group, the others having just settled into breakfast and watching the questioning as side entertainment. "He's been possessed by the man that's terrorizing the village, no da. We only mean to gain information to stop him."

The man came up to them, and Aya had to crane her next a bit when he hovered angrily over Tasuki. "Chen has done nothing. Though he's been actin' weird it doesn' mean ya could beat the shit out of 'im."

The man still clutched in Tasuki's hands fell limp.

"He's making his escape!" Yui cried from around her mug of some juice. And sure enough, the demon had started to detach itself from Chen, a dark creature quietly pulling itself apart from the other body.

Chichiri approached, and used his staff to slice the demon in half just as it tried to leap out through one of the windows. "There goes our source, no da." He sighed heavily, shoulders drooping as the demon disintegrated into the air.

Tasuki dropped Chen, crossing his arms as the farmer was now cleared in name. He turned back towards the other one, still glowering. "An' who're ya?"

"I own this tavern," he offered, his two meaty hands positioned at his waist. "An' I thank you for helping Chen, though he needs to see the doctor now." He turned his dark eyes from the crumpled man on the floor to the group, surveying each one. "I bet ya wanna know what he was talkin' 'bout. He heard some rumors 'bout a family to the east not too far from 'ere. Said they owe the local bandits money, an' they've been runnin' for a long time."

Tasuki noisily sat down beside Aya who had busied herself with the cheese and bread again. "What the hell has that got to do with Vereor?" He glanced back at the owner. "Was there somethin' else ya could say? Cause all that doesn't help."

The man bent down at the waist to help Chen up. "What happened?" Their prisoner asked. He looked at the group, most of who refused to make eye contact.

"Maybe Vereor is making deals with the bandits," Miaka supplied in between stuffing her face.

The large man shrugged his shoulders, starting to head out. "G'luck with that. I hope you leave 'ere as soon as you're done." He handed Chen over to some other villagers who had sat down to explain the recent events. "If ya find that man an' his family, let 'im know their lookin' for 'im. He got himself a little girl an' I've heard he took in a stranger older girl not too long 'go. He'll be found out at this rate."

Chichiri, cradling only a cup of tea, was the only one that caught all of it and froze. His expression was not lost on his solemn face, mouth set in a frown as he puzzled over the last words from the owner. With no mask hiding his features, the others caught on.

"What? What'd he say?" Taka questioned, not having caught most of the conversation.

"Helping some villager with his problem might jus' be what Vereor wants. I bet it's a trap for us to go over to there," Yui told Miaka.

The rest were silent as they observed Chichiri. He got up abruptly, snatching his stuff from where he had leant it against the wall after getting rid of the demon. "We have to go," he said, turning around and striding quickly to the exit.

"Chichiri!" The other two seishi called out, getting up as well. The three remaining girls spared a glance before jumping up and following, forgetting the rest of their breakfast.

Outside, the monk had already gotten his horse ready and mounted. "Head east to the next village! I'll try getting there as fast as possible!" He directed his mount in the right direction and tore away before the others could call him back.

"What the hell is wrong with him!" Aya cried, grabbing the reigns of her own mare. "He jus' left to help 'em!"

Tasuki and Taka helped the miko with their geldings. Taka stared after the retreating monk. "Something's not right. I think he's figured something out."

"'Course he has, or has gone crazy! Let's catch up to him already!" Tasuki swung up onto his horse and alongside with Aya, broke into a full gallop after the monk.

* * *

Cat had steadily begun enjoying her life with the small family. She helped Huan-yue during the day, learning how to cook the common dishes of the land and learning herb lore from her and the doctor as they made their visits to the sick. She now had a good understanding of medical herbs and how to use them properly for various scenarios, also how to help with minor wounds and ailments. 

The time they spent together vaguely reminded her of how she used to be with her own mother. She had not realized how much she had missed the warmth that only a mother could give and found herself embracing those moments, grateful for every second they spent together.

Besides bonding with Huan-yue Cat spent a great deal of time playing with Mei-yu. Cat had always wanted a little sister, and now that she had been granted her wish. She made sure to make the most of it. In the evenings, when Zhijian returned from his work, Cat would serve him dinner and they would sit down to their meal. Her new family still had no idea who she was, they all called her sister, but they still allowed her to stay with them.

Huan-yue and Zhijian had a feeling that the girl was not mute, but they didn't try to force her to speak. They imagined that she had already had a traumatic past and they hoped that she would eventually feel comfortable enough to speak again in time. They hoped to provide the girl with a pleasant enough environment that she would be able to move past her previous misfortunes.

They knew this would not be easy and would most likely take a long time, but they didn't mind housing her until then. They enjoyed her company and she was always helping out as much as she could, there was nothing more they wished to ask of her.

Cat had gone outside of the house at midnight and sat under the same tree that Mei-yu was so fond of. The village was dark; everyone had already gone to bed, readying their bodies for the labor they would endure the next day. She rested her head against its trunk and watched its branches sway from the wind. A few leaves fell, glistening from the dew that had collected on it and the light of the white moon along with the numerous stars that shone down on them.

_I wonder how they're doing... _It had been nearly a week since she had been separated from the group.

Her thoughts often contained them, where were they? Did they believe she had died, had they given up on her?

_It's probably for the best that they forget me... I can't continue traveling with them._ The soft sounds of the wind circled around her while she closed her eyes. She knew that she still had a job to do, but she couldn't face Chichiri again, it would be too painful. She didn't want his sympathy or that of anyone else. Cat had a feeling that Aya would make sure to beat Chichiri enough so that he would imagine that he did indeed harbor some sort of 'love' towards her. She didn't want that.

_Besides he is a monk who's still in love with his dead fiancée... _

She began to think of how she would continue her stay in this world, she didn't have any money, family, she didn't have anything anymore. But then a thought occurred to her that caused a slight glimmer in her otherwise dull eyes.

_I can stay here. I'll look after Mei-yu and when she gets married I can take care of her parents, they'll need someone when they're older._ The almost indiscernible signs of a smile began to spread over her lips.

_And then, when Zhijian and Huan-yue pass on, I can help Mei-yu with her family. _She stayed lost in these thoughts for the remaining hours that the moon hung in the sky. Her heart was still broken, but she knew that helping Zhijian and his family would bring her the closest to happiness that she could ever be.

Soon after Cat went back to her room. But as hard as she tried, she couldn't sleep. She finally got to her feet, deciding to walk around for a bit in order to tire herself out some. She passed by Mei-yu's room and peeked in. The girl was sound asleep.

Cat had grown to love the family in the short time she had been with them. She was especially fond of Mei-yu, the child possessed the ability to make anyone happy and she had helped Cat more than anyone else.

But the sound of a door opening ended Cat's tranquility. It was followed by multiple footsteps and the hushed voices of men. Without thinking it, she ran over to the child and softly woke her. She signaled for her to stay quiet and took her by the hand, looking for a place to hide her. She knew that something terrible was about to occur and her mind focused on protecting her. She succeeded in placing the girl behind a few crates in a small unoccupied room, once again signaling for her to remain silent.

After she had done this she went out into the hall again, making her way to Zhijian's and Huan-yue's room. But before she could she felt a strong hand grab hold of her wrist. She was turned to face the man who held her stationary.

She was soon taken into the living area where she found Huan-yue tied and on the ground. She appeared to have been subjected to some abuse while she was tied, she heaved on the floor from a blow to the stomach she had received. Zhijian was seated in a chair and held a large gash on the right side of his face. Before him stood a monster of a man. He stood at least 6 feet, he held a sword pointed at the man.

"It wasn't easy findin ya, Zhijian." His voice boomed. The room was filled with four men, including the man that was interrogating Zhijian, all wearing identical clothing.

"Now it's time fer ya ta make good wit yer debt... we saw yer lil girl and it seems ya got yerself another one too. If ya let them go wit us, we won't kill ya and yer wife." He held no emotion in his face while he announced this bargain.

The room was silent, the men waited for an answer. Cat tried to think of something to do or say in order to resolve the problem. Perhaps if she went with the men they'd spare the family? She took a single step forward but before she could do anything else Zhijian spoke. He would not allow the girls to be taken, he would rather die then see Mei-yu become a brothel whore.

"I can't do that." The beaten man said firmly. "Please, there must be something else you can take!"

"You ain't got nothing we need! Yer as poor as dirt, the only thing that ya got of value is them girls!" But Zhijian remained firm, begging for another way to resolve his debt. The conversation continued for a good few minutes until the mercenary declared a resolution.

"Fine... I won't make ya sell us the girls..."

A sigh of relief escaped Zhijian's lips, but it was short lived. The thug turned away from Zhijian, he walked towards Huan-yue and lifted the woman to her feet by means of her dark hair. In seconds his sword had pieced through the woman's stomach with little effort, causing a cascade of red liquid to flood out of her body. Zhijian struggled to get free from his bonds, screaming his wife's name as the bandit dropped her to the ground. He let out a laugh and then made his way towards Cat, wasting no time. She stood paralyzed, watching Huan-yue in her last minutes of life.

The life of one of the most caring and beautiful people she had met in this world was fading. She fought to run to her side and heal her but she was yanked back by two men. They restrained her as the leader readied himself to slice the girl in half when Mei-yu entered. She had left her hiding place at the sounds of her fathers' screaming.

The little girl ran to her mother's side, even though Huan-yue instructed her to run away. She cried as she knelt next to her, trying to cover the wound with her tiny hands, her white skin was soon covered in the warm liquid which rapidly left the woman's body. The main bandit turned his attention to the child and wickedly smiled as he grabbed the girl by the neck. Her feet dangled as he lifted her to his eye level. He then held his blade next to her face, the cold steel already stained with the blood of her dying mother.

Somehow Zhijian had released himself from the ropes. He tackled the man who then released the girl while Zhijian began to fight him as best he could. All of the men soon converged on him, but he was determined to protect his child at any cost, sending his fists out in a furry towards his enemies. They struggled to subdue him while Cat grabbed the girl and made her way to the rear exit of the house.

As the girls were leaving the room, a bandit managed to strike Zhijian on the back of his head with his sword scabbard, his blade had fallen in the battle. They forced him to kneel before the main bandit who stood before him with a malicious grin. Zhijian watched as the leader readied his blade.

"It would 'ave all been so easy if ya jus would've given up the girls... but now I'm gonna have ta kill ya all since ya've pissed me off!"

The cold metal ran through the man's neck immediately after the bandit's statement. Zhijian closed his eyes when he realized that his death was certain, he had been thinking of his daughter and wife in his last few moments of life. Their smiling and beautiful faces appeared in his mind.

* * *

They had been running for nearly the whole day, and at night no one could get Chichiri to explain his rush. 

"The monk's lost it," Aya told the two girls. Yui had to agree, but Miaka was worried about her seishi.

"Vereor couldn't just be looking for the family. He's probably plotting something else," she tried. She glanced to her best friend who was huddled close to the fire, trying to figure something out. "Didn't the owner say something about the man having kids?"

Her companions shrugged. "I think it was all a waste of time. V's trying some new tricks… He sent out a scout and the dumb demon failed. He wasn't too smart about the possession bit." Aya poked at the logs with a stick before tossing it in with the rest. Tasuki had gone to sleep early, but she was far from tired.

"Hey, girls, we're going to get up early." Taka waved Miaka over to her own bedroll. The short brunette leapt up and joined him.

"Whatever it is, at least we're still following the river," Yui got up and stretched. "We'll find out what the meaning of this is tomorrow." With that, she headed to bed.

Eventually Aya grew tired of staring into the dark and went to bed.

It was about an hour or less before dawn. The fire had died down to its last smoldering embers in the logs when Chichiri leapt awake. Unfortunately, there were a few people in the party who were very light sleepers. Aya was one of them. Her brown eyes observed as the monk looked around him startled. She was just as surprised when he picked up his gear.

Before she could get up and ask what had happened, he shouted out to wake the rest of the party. "Suzaku! I feel Suzaku!"

That got most of them moving. Aya pulled a groggy Tasuki up, and Taka stumbled to pick up some of their important equipment. Chichiri mounted quickly and started to head off, sparing a moment to the others. "Still to the east! I'll ride on ahead!" He was gone, his horse pelting the ground.

Aya cursed the monk as she followed alongside the Tasuki. Yui and Miaka decided to remain to pick up the rest of their supplies, and Taka was there to help them. They were a distance behind the two of them.

"Do you think--" Tasuki began, shouting towards the Seiryuu emissary as their horses matched paces.

"Just keep running!" Aya saw that they were catching up. Chichiri looked confused, but he kept going.

They had been running for nearly an hour when the monk seishi stopped his horse and dismounted. Aya and Tasuki approached him, slowing their mounts until they came at a steady pace, feeling the horses gasping for breath beneath them.

Chichiri's eye narrowed and he spared the two a glance. "I feel him. I'll go on ahead. Keep heading in this direction, it's not too far now!"

Tasuki drew his stallion to a complete stop. "Ya can't go in a fight by yourself!" The monk wasn't listening as he concentrated, bringing his hand up to clutch at his beads while he focused. "Chichiri!" It was too late to grab a hold as the older man disappeared.

* * *

Right as the girls were reaching an exit they found their way blocked by two additional men. They flung themselves at the girls but before they could grab a hold of them, Cat yanked the child away from their grasp. The two set off on route to Cat's room, she thought that she could at least get the child out through the window but soon found that the bandits were too quick. As soon as the girls entered the room a fist went crashing into the back of Cat's head, sending her to fall on the ground face first. 

Soon the group was converged inside the room. The main bandit had grabbed a hold of Mei-yu who had knelt next to her protector. He stood debating on how to kill the girl when somehow Cat flew at the man biting and scratching him as best she could. The men were taken aback by the girl's actions; they had not believed she would be able to recover from the blow so quickly.

But even though Cat tried her best, she was soon stopped. The leader dropped the child and proceeded to grab Cats right arm with his left. He easily pulled it behind her back, pulling it out straight and twisting it so that her elbow pointed upwards. Without hesitation he sent his right elbow crashing down on her arm. Her pitiful cries erupted in the tiny and silent room, her head swelled with pain as she fell forward, losing control over her body and curling up in pain. The thug had released her from his merciless grip.

"I've gotta say, I'm surprised ya were able ta scratch me." He pointed to a scratch on his right forearm.

"Since ya managed that much I'll do ya a favor... I'll let the girl have a quick death." He then grabbed the child which had been motionless while she watched the scene unfold, once more lifting her by her slender neck to his eye level.

The look of fear filled the child's eyes which glistened in the faint moonlight as she looked into the eyes of the man that had murdered her mother and father. Any human being would have had pity on the child, but the bandit lacked any sense of humanity in him. He had been sent to do a job, retrieve the girl. But he had also been given a second option, if they did not cooperate he had been told to destroy the family. His boss had grown tired to trying to track down Zhijian from town to town, he hated him for evading his debts, he would make an example of him and this required the brutal murder of his family unless he paid.

Cat struggled to save the girl but before she could get to her feet he had already fulfilled his promise. He squeezed his powerful fist, crushing the girl's neck while he stared into her eyes, gleeful at the destruction he was able to cause. When the child was indeed dead the bandit dropped the lifeless girl to the ground.

To the thug, he was just doing his job; he did not regret his actions.

Cat immediately ran to her, ignoring her own pain. She instinctively stretched out her left hand, and placed it on the girl's chest, but nothing came. The child lay motionless, with her dull eyes still open, still a look of fear in them. She had never had to face the death of someone she was close to, she stared at the girl with no emotions, disbelieving that it could be possible. It was as if she waited for the child to come out of her current state, smiling, like she always was. For Zhijian and Huan-yue to come in and gently scold the girls for being up so late. It was as if she waited for the men to melt away, and for the sun to come up... but time went by and this did not occur. She gently held Mei-yu in her arm, cradling her. She could no longer help her, she was gone.

But the bandits weren't through yet. Even though her courage had won the admiration of the leader, he was still going to kill her. He took one step forward but then stopped dead in his tracks. A strong red glow emanated from the girl as she lifted her cold eyes.

All of his men were motionless too; they had never seen anything of the sort. The girl's face sent chills down their spine, it was almost not human, it was filled with an unimaginable amount of hate. The glow soon engulfed the room, the house, and even penetrated the very walls and was seen from outside.

"S-stop! We'll leave!" The bandit leader begged. The aura had caused him to panic, he knew it must be some sort of powerful magic and he didn't want to find out what the effects were.

But Cat had lost ever single ounce of sanity she had once possessed.

"You didn't give them a chance... why should I spare your miserable lives?"

"P-please spare us!" But the leader's pleas fell on deaf ears.

"You deserve something worse than death... but sadly that's all I can offer." Her cold voice traveled to their ears, it contained no emotions and made the hairs on their skin stand on end.

When the light faded, not a single bandit was left standing.

Dark red blood covered the once white walls. The bodies of the bandits were shredded and lay all across the floor, a chaotic scene to behold. They hadn't even been able to cry out.

In the entire house, Cat was the only one left alive. She still held Mei-yu with her good arm while she held her eyes closed.

A new day began to dawn outside, its rays filtered in and lit the room, but inside time had come to a stand still. Cat thought of nothing and felt nothing while her unfocused eyes remained on the lifeless child. Her arm hung limply by her side twisted in an odd angle, the pain engulfed her while she sat still. Pain was the only thing that made her certain that she was still alive.

"They've all left you," a smooth voice spoke into her ear. Cat numbly stared at the wall, past all the laying corpses. "Look what you've done."

There was a faint shimmer in the corner, but it had not been enough to draw the young woman's attention. Mei-yu's body was now cold in her arm, her other hanging limply at her side in an odd angle.

Her brown eyes hazed over as her mind refused to kick it. So when the voice calmly spoke to her, inside her had to agree… she had to listen.

"Everything you come in contact with… disappears. It's only best that it does not happen. Mei-yu would be alive." The man's calculating voice crept closer, and she felt his warm aura surrounding her. The light shimmered a little closer into her line of sight, but she still refused to acknowledge her surroundings.

"It will all be fine. You will only cause grief to those around you… you will only find pain."

Cat's hoarse voice from so many days without use whispered from her mouth subconsciously. "Mama… " Her voice startled her a moment into silence, but the voice never spoke up. She continued. "I have to get home."

The light reflected off shattered pottery and glass on the ground surrounding her. Her glazed eyes focused in on it.

"You will end up harming them as you have hurt your family here… Those that care for you always get hurt." The shimmer started to materialize into a tall man, waving a hand at the intended weapon. "You could save them."

Cat's eyes found themselves locked within the man's cool silver gaze. She carefully released Mei-yu, leaving her stiffened body on the ground as her good arm reached out for one of the sharper shards.

"It will be but a moment and you could end the pain everywhere."

The shard found itself at her limb arm, the razor edge positioned to graze down into the arteries. At that moment, the doorway filled up with a shadow, appearing out of thin air.

"Cat!"

The voice broke through the spell, and the Hispanic girl lifted her head to find the pale face of the last person she would have expected. "C-Chichiri?" Her voice echoed unevenly throughout the destroyed room. She felt her fingers dig into the shard, cutting into her joints. She dropped it without a moment's thought, puzzling over her previous actions. She glanced back up to the barely visible image of her enemy staring down at her and through it to the shocked monk.

Chichiri found Cat ready to slice into her wrist and some odd apparition of Vereor hovering near her. He felt cold as he took in the larger scene, dead mangled bodies littering the ground. He could barely move, and it was even harder to speak or breathe. However, instinct took over when he saw the image shift to give a glare over its shoulder. He leapt at Vereor with his staff out, bringing it down and letting it pass easily through the illusion until there was nothing left.

Cat felt the air of the staff in front of her, but she refused to meet his gaze again. She knew at this point Vereor had left them since his plans had failed. Afraid of the silence that lasted, Cat tried to move onto her feet and get up. Before she figured that her legs were too weak to hold her up, he had dropped in front of her and pulled her into a fierce hug.

It was the only thing he could have done in that situation. Relieved to find her alive overwhelmed him, but given the situation he was filled with grief again. He clutched her tightly, and then helped her up and out of that little home.

* * *

Aya: Please vote—those that think Chiri deserved getting a kick in the balls and those that didn't... And who loved me doin' jus that? >D 

Cat: I for one vote that it was NOT cool… Not cool man! Oh, and kids, suicide is not the answer. Stay away from sharp pointy objects when you are psychologically damaged beyond repair… seek help. Sorry everything was so gloomy in this chappie, things will get better.:DMaybe… someday… in the future…

Aya: The blood was a nice added touch. Opinions, people!

Cat: What is this, election year?


	18. Chapter 17

**Aya:** New chapter! Wheee! Reviews! Wheee! Now, just for a warning, no flames or complaints saying everyone's OOC. Cause, yknow, this is our fun 'ere.

**Cat: **So finally, more stuff! I hope it's a good read :D Just remember, if we're slow in producing it's cause of school, work, puppies, friends, families, cooking, housework, bill paying… life. So yah! Okay, enjoy, enjoy and leave LOTS of reviews. Nice reviews.

**Disclaimer:** Yo mama don't own it, we don't own it. Only Watase Yuu cause she's a bad mother--

**Chiri:** Shut your mouth, na no da!

* * *

**Chapter 17**

Tasuki and Aya were arriving on the scene as Chichiri got Cat to a safer distance, away from the smell of death. Aya's mare was still moving when she swung her leg over and fell off. She caught herself before stumbling into the ground face-first, her legs powering her towards her friend. _Alive! I knew it!_

Aya did not waste time in pushing aside the hovering monk and wrapping her arms around Cat. "Cat! Cat, Cat, Cat! You're alive! You're fine! You're…" A squeeze more and the girl under her gave a stifle of a cry. "You're hurt!"

Aya instinctively pushed the girl away from her, eyeing her and eventually finding the dislocated arm, finally releasing her. Cat simply remained silent, her eyes giving off a far off look, nothing sinking in.

"Cat!" Aya called out as she quickly moved to lift her up, but as soon as she had placed her hand on the girls shoulder a soft voice broke the tension.

"I'm alright." Cat's voice barely made it out, but it was instinct kicking in. "I just need some rest." Avoiding anyone's gaze she began to move off, not really knowing where she was going, but just wanting to get away.

"Fine?" Aya nearly growled as she watched Cat begin to move off, trying to control herself, but losing it at the last moment. Her hand firmly clasped onto the girls shoulder, whirling her around, her hand quickly striking her on the cheek. "You had me worried and this is how you act when I finally do find you? What the hell is wrong with you!"

"Aya, calm yerself!" Tasuki quickly moved in, removing the smaller girl lest she continue the beating. "Hitin' her ain't gonna solve anything!"

Cat simply stood in her spot, rooted as tears began to stream down. "I'm sorry, Aya. I didn't mean for you to worry." Though it came out louder this time her voice still seemed distant. "I'm," But she couldn't find anything else to say.

"Yer damn right ya better be sorry!" Aya continued to struggle against the bandit, flailing frantically. But soon she calmed down, simply watching the girl with a frown.

Chichiri remained where he had been when Aya broke him away from Cat, simply watching the scene. Soon enough he found himself walking towards the emissary of Suzaku. She shifted her eyes, casting them in the opposite direction, silent.

He gently took her arm, straightening it out and readying himself for the task of relocating it. Just as he was about to go on though the girl moved away, flinching away from him. He only hesitated briefly before moving forward and grabbing her arm yet again, this time more roughly, a small cry of pain from her being evidence of that.

In a few fleeting moments he had popped the limb back into proper place, another cry from the young woman escaping as the pain engulfed her yet again, but this time it was too much for her, everything was too much, and she simply fell back. Luckily the monk seishi still had a hold of her; he quickly lifted her body into his arms, trying his best to be as gentle as possible though she was far from conscious. He then set off, wanting to take her as far away as possible from the carnage and despair she had already been a part of.

The others had lost sight of Chichiri so they had decided to make camp and await their return instead, fearful of heading in the wrong direction. Miaka and Yui had fallen asleep while they awaited the return of the rest of their party; Taka was dozing off but still held watch. When he saw the older Seishi approaching he was given quite a start, he hadn't expected them to return so quickly. He had also not expected Cat to be with them, he had just though that the monk was hallucinating, not that he actually knew where the emissary of Suzaku was. He got to his feet, moving towards them, trying to offer some form of help but ending up just standing there.

Chichiri was silent as he made his way over to where Taka's unfurled and unoccupied bed roll lay, he gently placed the still unconscious girl on it, frowning as he took in her appearance.

Tasuki and Aya came not too long after, the latter of the two seeming slightly less annoyed.

She briskly walked towards her friend, almost knocking down the monk that was still kneeling next to her. She did her best to make her comfortable, fixing up a sheet and trying to prop her up just right. As soon as she was done she turned towards Chichiri, eyes fierce. "What happened back there?"

Tasuki and Taka stood side by side, both wondering the same thing. Though the light of day had already spread across the land things seemed as if they had come to a stand still.

Chichiri gave Cat one final look before standing, moving towards the fire that was still burning.

"I'm not sure, all I know is what I saw." He took a seat, taking in a breath and thinking back to what had just happened. "Vereor was there and she was," He stopped in mid sentence, shaking his head and wondering what information he should share.

"Vereor?" Tasuki and Taka echoed as they moved towards the man, each taking a seat on either side of him. Aya had moved towards them as well but did not sit. She stood in front of Chichiri, almost glaring at him while he recounted the incidence.

"She was what? Don't hide anything from me." Her voice was controlled but had an edge to it. Off in their corner the miko stirred, Yui being the first to wake and opening her eyes to scene before her.

"What's going on?" She asked as she brought herself out of the grogginess which usually followed waking. Her keen eyes scanned the area and soon found the other occupant. "Cat? You guys found her?" The surprise in her voice wasn't hard to detect, next to her Miaka had awoken as well. When neither of them received any information on the matter they moved towards the fire, waiting for Chichiri to continue.

"She was going to, she was under a spell I think, and she was about to," He fumbled for the right words, his eye not meeting any of those present. "End her life. That's where I came in and stopped her. There were bodies strewn all over the ground and she seemed to be in complete shock, I'm not sure if she remembers what happened." Taking a pause only to collect his thoughts and catch his breath he quickly continued, the others listening intently.

"I think the family that had taken her in had been attacked and she ended up killing in order to protect them, but I think the trauma of having to take another's life was too great for her at the time..."

A thick silence lay over the group as they processed the information. Aya's eyes finally left the monk seishi; they instead traveled over towards Cat. Without saying anything she began to make her way back to where they had just come from.

"Where are ya goin'?" Tasuki asked as she passed him. He was ready to follow her, not wanting to leave her alone at the moment.

"Well, they're not going to bury themselves," Aya's brown eyes stared straight ahead. "And I don't want her to have see that family like that."

Without another word Aya set off, ready for the task ahead. She had never been in contact with corpses, so she wasn't sure of what to expect, but all she knew was that she had to do this. Tasuki silently followed after her, Taka, Miaka and Yui following soon after. Chichiri remained behind; looking into the fire long after the others had departed.

Off from some unknown area Tama appeared, silently coming towards the monk and provided him with a few nudges. The Seishi looked down at the cat, giving him a slight caress. He stayed like that for a moment but soon enough he too got to his feet and with a final glance at the emissary of Suzaku he made his way to join the others.

When the job of burying the family had ceased the group returned to their camp. They were slightly surprised to find Cat awake, leaning her back against a large tree. It seemed that she had recently bathed, her braided hair still glistening from the water. She now wore her own clothes, the garments she had been found in were no where to be found, most likely having been discarded by the girl. She didn't as much stir while the group settled back in their positions, eyes shooting over to her every once and again.

Aya sat nearest the silent girl, beginning the task of chopping up a few tubers that would be part of that evening's meal. Time went by slowly, the atmosphere was very uneasy that night. Aya spoke very little to her friend who continued in her silence, not so much as nodding. The miko attempted to make themselves busy with their school books as did Taka, Tasuki occupied himself by patrolling the parameter. The monk Seishi sat furthest from the two American woman, his back turned to them and seeming to be sleeping.

Eventually the last rays of the sun faded and the group began to settle in for the night. They planned on leaving the area the next morning and most went to bed early, Aya being the very last one to close her eyes. Cat had remained in her position all day, knees drawn up to her chest and her head resting lightly on them.

As soon as she was sure that Aya was sound asleep she unfurled from her position, stretching out her sore muscles. Giving the campsite one last look to make sure everyone was unaware of her she got to her feet, a bit shaky, but she was soon standing straight. Without another thought she went off in the direction she guessed was where her adoptive family rested.

The night was cool and the sky was a deep black, clouds spread thin over it and the moon barely visible. She walked slowly until the house came into view. She halted in her tracks, unable to move forward. She took a few steps back, faltering slightly. She clutched tightly to the pale blue and yellow flowers she had collected on her way as she stood stationary.

It took her some time to compose herself and manages to move on, finally making it to the fresh graves. She slowly kneeled in front of them, tentatively sending a shaking hand to touch the soft earth. She placed it there for a moment, eyes closed and flowers now clutched against her chest.

Chichiri had been well aware of the girl's actions, he had watched as she made her way from the campsite. He followed her, but made sure not to disturb her. He know stood watching her, silent and pensive. A frown was etched on his maskless face as he watched the young girl laid flowers on the three graves. The night was silent while Cat silently said her goodbyes, not a single tear in her eyes. Her face showed grief but there was also determination when she rose from her spot.

Through the still night air she felt the presence of another and slowly turned her brown eyes in the direction of the Seishi. Their eyes locked and time seemed to come to a stand still. She had yet to say anything to the man since he had stopped her from taking her life.

He seemed as if he wanted to say something but nothing came. He simply stood there and watched her. Cat finally sent her gaze elsewhere and began to make her way back to the rest of the party. She did not turn to look at the graves again, but continued straight on her path.

* * *

The traveling continued for nearly a week, following the path that they took the week looking for Cat until they began to divert their path more southwestern back in the direction of Konan. The group had lost all hope in finding Vereor in the land of Sairo and had already begun their trek back home. They left with the mission of finding and destroying V. They were returning to Konan with discarded spirits, and a pail-full of new problems. 

"We have to stop at an inn. And if we do, we might just hear word about him," Yui was telling the group. It went over their heads, and she decided it was time to get some control over their mission once again. "Vereor is still terrorizing the country! We _cannot _retreat when there's still a chance to find him!"

"Yuui," Miaka, turning where she rode behind Taka to regard her best friend. "We searched and we found him. Well, he found us." Her eyes darted back towards the emotionless mask that Cat had placed upon her. "He's decided to disappear again. We have to go back to get healed and refreshed!"

The other Japanese girl narrowed her eyes. "I see no reason, if we were so close. He still must be around here."

"No, he is not," Chichiri replied in a neutral tone. Miaka glanced over to the monk, but Yui tried not to meet his face. He had still not returned the mask and looking at his exposed face felt like a violation of privacy. "His ominous aura has been dispersed from this area no da. I can faintly feel him draping himself over the area to a wide extent, but he has clearly moved on from here. We seem to have underestimated him no da."

Some movement around Cat's mount drew most of the attention. There was a long pause where they all waited for her to say a good "I told you so" at them. They were met only with her flipping her hair back indifferently and then kicking her mount into a faster trot. Cat took the lead.

There was a forced look between the two Suzaku seishi that Aya caught, and she slowly drifted between the two of them. The three mounts kept pace with each other side-by-side, and she turned her dark eyes to Chichiri first, fighting the urge to spit out an insult first. "One of you guys should go up there. I doubt she has any clue where we are going."

"Do we?" Tasuki grumbled, holding back the reins from his gelding who tried to speed up. "Chiri, 'm guessin' ya rather I do it. If ya want, that is."

The monk was silent, but both eyes remained on him until he spoke. "Go ahead, Tasuki. We'll head the way we came from until we reach one of the bigger towns, no da."

Aya sighed, "This situation calls for a real bed." She felt the amber eyes staring beside her, and she turned her head in time to meet a small twitch of the lips. Before he could get his words in, she lost to her blush and hissed, "Don't even think 'bout it, hentai."

"The only pervert here would be you, Strange girl." Tasuki grinned and then kicked his horse forward to reach Cat before she rode off too far.

"Was there something we missed, no da?" Chichiri's voice called from her other side.

Aya's blush deepened and she hung her head so that loose hairs would cover her face enough that the monk wouldn't be able to tell. She made sure to have her own mount get in front of his a bit. "Nothing at all," she said with her voice as stiff as ever. "Don't worry about it."

Chichiri was quiet after that, and let the girl have her space. There was a conversation blooming behind him between the miko and the third seishi. An argument started up that he had to quiet down between their upcoming plans on chasing down their enemy. It was going to be a long ride back to Konan.

Before the bickering could end, Tasuki came back from the front. "The road leads to a village not far from 'ere. We'll make it by nightfall." He had Cat slow her pace earlier and she was once again closer to the group. "S'bout time we let the horses rest, too."

Chichiri nodded. "Yes, no da. We'll stay there for two days to get more supplies. We'll be heading straight to Konan afterwards and inform Houki-sama of our reports."

"Let's hope there's some news about V when we return. Maybe they found him there," Taka's slightly irritated voice called from the back.

Miaka slapped her boyfriend's head from the back. "Don't say it like that! They could be in trouble with that guy around."

There was an uncomfortable moment, where most of the Suzaku members shifted uneasily.

"We'll hope for the best and think he's lying low," Aya said at last.

The group arrived right as the sun was setting, and the inn was located just on the outskirts of the village. Rooms were easy to get as the village had a lack of visitors since there had been an increase of bandit attacks in the area. Chichiri paid the clerk and he led them upstairs to point out the rooms that they were to have for the few days they would rest.

Unlike the usual three rooms, the group rented out four so that someone could have the time alone if they wished for it. Cat and Aya took one room, barely sending a glance to each other as they entered. Across from them were the boys, and Miaka shared one with Yui while Taka took the last one available to himself for the early evening.

Aya did not stay long in the room. "I'm going to go have dinner," she told Cat. They only passed common information to each other since the incident. "Would you like to come along or you're going to take a nap first?" Seeing that the girl was already laying in bed, she knew the answer to that question.

Cat shook her head slowly. "Kinda tired from the ride. I'll sleep a bit."

Aya took a few steps towards the door but then halted, looking back at image of her friend staring up at the ceiling. She gave a sigh as she tried to figure out what to say, she wanted to bring up the incident but she wasn't very good with words.

"How you holding up?" Was all that she managed, and as soon as the words left her mouth she regretted having said anything.

From her spot Cat stirred, she kept her eyes on the ceiling. "Fine."

Aya frowned at the response. She moved closer to the girl, trying to formulate something in her mind, something, anything, but nothing came. Cat's eyes finally fell on the shorter girl and she gave off a frown of her own, but more out of puzzlement than anything.

"Listen, I'm alright." Cat propped herself up slightly with her left arm, as she continued. "There's nothing I can do about it, it's done. Being all depressed isn't going to make them come back." She looked uncomfortable as she went on, casting her eyes down as she tried to pick her words. "I'm not over it, but, life goes on."

Aya nodded as she headed out and gently closed the door. From the other side of the hallway, Tasuki set out just as well, and from the looks of the room inside, Chichiri went for the nap first.

"Having a hard time?" Tasuki questioned as his eyes met hers. He glanced between her and the shut door.

Aya shrugged again. "It's tough to start anything. Just uncomfortable," she said softly as she began to head towards the stairs. Seeing that the hallway was clear enough, she leaned in on Tasuki and grabbed hold of his arm as they both went to have some dinner.

They sat down at one of the smaller tables in a quiet corner, seeing that the tavern itself was filling up fast in the early hours of the night. Tasuki sat close beside the short girl, glancing every so often to the farmers, merchants and travelers that would come in for a drink or food.

"You decide what's good for me," was the usual dinner-choice for the American girls. Aya stared at the table for awhile. When she looked up, she spotted Miaka and Taka coming down as well. They joined them. "Yui is sleeping, I'm guessing?"

"Yup! She decided she was too tired to eat." Miaka eyed the plates that were going by. "But I'm starved. How about Cat?"

Aya shook her head slowly. "Tired as well. And it seems Chichiri is up there, too," she said before they could ask. "This situation feels too weird. I want them to just talk to each other at least!"

Taka snorted back a laugh. "I think they can both be as stubborn as the two of you."

"What was that, Tama?" Tasuki narrowed his eyes playfully, and then placed an arm proudly around Aya. "I think we've progressed jus; fine. Don't ya, Aya?"

Aya couldn't beat back the blush once again. "Well, sure, why not. Though, if you do wish to point out one stubborn person it would have to be Tas-chan here." She grinned up at him from the side.

Tasuki removed his arm. "Stubborn! Woman, ya move fast 'nough to have scared normal men 'way. You're lucky 'm patient wit' ya."

The miko laughed along with her boyfriend. "You two are really cute together! No, really, we're happy Tasuki! Don't tease them, Taka." She swatted at the seishi's arm.

Aya crossed her arms and stared off back to the stairs. "Well, it's not about us anymore. We've got to do something about them."

Tasuki's arm was back, and he gave her a gentle squeeze on the shoulder. "Food's here, might as well eat first before Miaka gets it all."

Sure enough, the miko had the look of a ravenous Japanese schoolgirl in her eyes. She stared at the tray of plates before it was laid out. Aya had to snag back her dumplings before Miaka attacked them. Tasuki salvaged some food of his own and kept them far from the other pair.

"Ya better control her 'fore she bloats up," Tasuki mumbled to Taka. He was met with an unused cup tossed at his face. "Hey!" He glared at the giggling miko.

Aya couldn't resist joining her, and poked the red-head in the ribs. "Lighten up, Tasuki. We're hungry."

"Miaka's always hungry…" They went back to their food before more utensils were lost. When they were satiated, and Miaka was picking at anything that was left behind, the two couples sat back and tried to think of a plan.

"Well, we first have to get them into the same room together for enough time to share two words," Taka stated. He pulled Miaka away before she reached out and took Aya's last pork dumpling.

The Seiryuu emissary clutched to the plate's edge, but was slightly distracted by Tasuki beside her; especially when she realized it was one of those nice moments when they could actually be considered together.

"It can't be that hard," Miaka finally said when she sat back in her seat. She looked at the three confused faces. "Just get one of them out of their room, and lock them into the same room together. I bet you two men can overpower Cat and toss her into the room."

"Miaka!" Taka cried out, incredulously. But the idea seemed to go better with Tasuki and Aya.

"Actually, dragging Chichiri into Cat's would be better. Waking up Cat without her having eaten is a _bad_ idea," Aya cackled at the unfolding plan. "Miaka, get some fish or vegetable dumplings. We'll both leave the tray in my room with some tea. Tasuki and Taka, Chichiri is not going to like us for awhile if we want to pull it off." The boys did not argue.

"S'long as it gets 'em to make things normal 'gain. We gotta break their barrier 'gain." Tasuki stood up and stretched out his limbs. Then he gently grabbed Aya's hand and pulled her to her feet, wrapping an arm around her. "We'll have the room to ourselves, then?"

Miaka and Taka turned away, using the task of getting more food as an excuse.

"So long as there's nothing dirty on your mind," Aya glared up at him and squatted out from under his arm and headed over to Miaka to help her with the trays.

Tasuki watched her for a moment before he found the other seishi nearby. "Alright, Tama! Let's go give Chiri a rude awakenin'."

"I don't want to see him angry," Taka sighed as the two of them went up the stairs behind the two girls. Miaka and Aya disappeared quietly into the first door, and then reappeared moments later with the door wide open and the area between the doors cleared.

"Here goes nothin'," Tasuki whispered softly. He grabbed the handle of the door and signaled to Taka beside him. It took a total of about a minute. Tasuki charged into the room followed by Taka, crowding around the nearest bed where the monk hand settled for a quick nap. Before Chichiri was fully coherent, the two of them grabbed an arm and used all their strength to drag him to his feet and rush back side-ways through the door. Two steps and they were shoving him into Cat's room. Miaka and Aya pushed the door shut and the two seishi held it. There was a muffled "D-Daaa?" that echoed down the hallway.

"Find something to barricade it!" Taka tried to whisper to the girls. They expected the monk to react shortly if the Suzaku emissary refused to wake up from that struggle.

But even though Cat was a heavy sleeper all the commotion that the quartet had formed was enough to cause her to regain consciousness.

"Aya, can you keep it down a bit?"

The groggy girl asked with her eyes still closed. But when there was no answer she soon opened them, rubbing away the sleep as best she could.

"Aya?" When she finally noticed the maskless and slightly terrified monk she reacted, first with a scream and then by throwing the nearest object to her, aiming straight for the face.

"You pervert, get out of here!"

She yelled as she brought the covers over her less than modest sleep tank and shorts. Her face as red as anything she waited for the sound of the retreating monk, but it did not greet her.

"W-what are you waiting for!" She took a peek and found Chichiri trying to open the door, but it was obviously barred.

"I can't, no da, they locked me in here, na no da." Chichiri seemed to shrink down slightly as he continued to jingle the knob, hoping by some miracle that the door would magically cease to be barricaded.

"_They?_" The young girl asked as she finally sat up.

Her voice was murderous as she tore off the blanket and marched right to the door, Chichiri quickly getting out of her way. She instantly began to assault it, banging on it with all her might.

"Aya, if you don't open this door right now!" She continued her barrage, kicking, screaming.

But there was no reply. In fact, Aya, Tasuki, Miaka and Taka had all left. They had all gone to their respective rooms, having decided that it would be a bad idea to stick around and listen to those trapped inside. Also they figured it would probably take a while for the two to get anywhere, so they might as well be comfortable during the wait.

"I don't think they're going to open it, no da." Chichiri meekly provided when the girl finally ceased her attack, she was heaving quite heavily and her hair was coming out of its neat braid.

Cat simply stared back at the man, seeming to want to continue on him, but without so much as a word she quickly turned away, moving back to her bed. But right before she jumped back in she halted, her voice was low, very different from the high-pitched and bubbly one that everyone was so accustomed to.

"Don't come near me." And with that she plopped back into bed, facing the wall.

"I'm sorry." The man's serious voice carried across the room.

Cat stirred in her bed, staring at the wall and trying to focus on anything but the Seishi.

"Just go, I know you can leave if you want to." She kept her voice stern, and it was easy with all the practice she had from previous experiences.

She desperately wished him away, but at the same time feared his departure. Silence fell upon the small room, the girls heart began to race, wondering what was going through the man's mind. But then came to a standstill, he shifted and moved off and then silence fell once again.

Cat clutched at the single pillow which supported her aching head. _He left. _She let out a heavy yet barely audible sigh as she burrowed her head further into the pillow.

After a few moments she couldn't take it anymore, she turned herself over, wanting to see with her own eyes that he had gone. Her brown eyes widened when the image of Chichiri standing in front of a recently opened window greeted her. She blinked back a few times, wondering if her eyes were playing tricks on her, but still he remained. She simply watched him from her spot, her features softening.

From the monk's part, he had greatly considered leaving, just clambering out of the window. But he just found that he couldn't. As much as he tried, his legs just wouldn't take him any farther. He observed the gorgeous day that was passing by outside but soon enough he felt as if he was being scrutinized.

He turned around to find Cat watching him, he gulped down slightly, though the girl seemed to have calmed considerably. He took a breath, ready to say something, but what it was would never be known since Cat beat him to it.

"Well, I guess I've made things a bit awkward, that's probably why they threw you in here." She sat back up, eyes now on her hands that lay in front of her. "I haven't been very civil; I'll try to from now." A hand was sent out to flick her braid back over her shoulder. But this time there was no 'I'm sorry.'

"I've still got a long time in this world, who knows; maybe I'll never make it back home. So I might as well just get along, right?" Her eyes firmly met with the monks, they seemed to challenge him in some way.

When it finally seemed that she was done talking Chichiri moved away from the window, closing it slightly so that the sounds from the road below were filtered out.

"I'm sure you'll make it home." Even though he was trying to sound optimistic about the subject his words seemed to lack heart.

He moved towards a chair that had been knocked over in Cat's fury, placing it upright and near the girl's bed he took a seat. "You're a strong person."

But instead of encouraging the girl; the words seemed to dishearten her instead. Her eyes remained rooted to a spot on the bed, though there was nothing of importance there. There was an uncomfortable silence in the room for a while, both occupants looking in different directions.

Eventually the monk's eye fell on the girl again, she was now busy combing through her recently freed hair with her fingers. He caught sight of her right arm, which sported a few rather unsightly yellow bruises. When he ceased his examination he found a pair of dark eyes watching him.

"What?" She asked rather roughly, instantly grabbing up a sweater she had discarded earlier and slipping it on quickly.

"How's your arm doing?" He asked as he watched the girl gulp down slightly, her eyes squinting ever so slightly after having forced her still pained arm to act so quickly.

"I'm fine, nothing I can't live with." With her concealed injuries the girl set to work now on the food that had been left in the room. She didn't wait for the monk and began to nibble on a dumpling, taking tiny sips of the now cold tea.

"Do you hate me?" The monk asked. Cat immediately ceased her actions.

"No," Was her immediate response.

"I don't hold you responsible for what happened on that day, though sometimes I try to, but I know it's not right." She took another quiet sip of the drink before cradling the cup in her hands. "My brother always tells me that I have to take responsibility for my actions, it's easy just to blame someone else, but it's not how things should be done."

She paused, taking in a breath, the bags under her eyes seeming to deepen. Sleep didn't come easy these days, and it was evident. "It had nothing to do with you. I don't hate or blame you, and I don't want you to burden yourself with it." She passed him the cup. "There's still some left if you want."

Chichiri gave a small nod and took the cup from her. Their hands touched briefly and the respective owners gave off a quick blush, Cat's deeper then Chichiri's. She quickly pulled back her hand.

"I'm sorry." She muttered rapidly before she could stop herself. But once the words were out of her mouth she seemed to become even more flustered.

_I knew there was a good reason why I hated tea…_

Though she had pulled her hand away from Chiri's she soon found them touching once more, but this time because the monk had enclosed his around her hand. Cat's eyes filled with what appeared to be a mixture of fear and anxiety as she stared at Chichiri.

"Chiri?" She asked before she could quiet her shaky voice, she was having a hard enough time trying to beat back the rushing blood that was heading towards her already red face.

Their eyes remained locked on each other, as if there was no way to pull away, the emissary of Suzaku felt the harsh thumping of her heart against her chest. She waited for him to break the tension in the room, to release her hand which he so gently held, for anything, but time continued and nothing happened.

"Chi—" And at that very moment, when she had decided to try and form a sentence, though she had no idea where she was going with it, he pulled her in closer for an embrace. The girl simply remained still, completely shocked by the man's so uncharacteristically forwards actions.

He nestled his head softly into her hair, not thinking of anything at the moment, not even having realized how he had gotten to where he was; it didn't matter. It felt right, and that was all that mattered. In his arms he soon felt the girl's body loose it's tension, she seemed to relax into his embrace. But soon enough he felt cold droplets fall onto his neck.

"Don't do this," The words were so soft he would have not heard it unless they had been so close to one another. "Don't do this out of sympathy. I already told you that it's not your fault."

He slowly released her and moved back slightly, taking in the girls features. "I'm not doing this out of pity. I would never do that." And without warning he moved towards her face, leaving a soft kiss on her forehead. "I love you."

Not to far off from the newly reconciled pair Aya and Tasuki were deep in their own discussion. The couple was seated on a bed, a wooden contraption situated in between them, little marbles filling up the many dips that it had. Tasuki held a red marble in between his fingers, squinting his amber eyes as he tried to understanding something.

"So the point of the game is ta get these things here?" He pointed to a large dip that was empty at the moment.

"Yes, yes, the point is to get as many marbles as you can." Aya let out in a rather exasperated voice.

"What's this game called 'gain?" The bandit let out lazily as he watched the girl arrange the marbles, four in each little dip.

"Mancala; it's pretty fun once you get it." She finally finished her task and looked back up at the bandit. But instead of being engrossed with understanding the game he was staring at her.

"Er, what's with that funny look in your eyes?" She asked as she scooted back slightly.

"What funny look?" Tasuki questioned, a smirk appearing on his face as he slid the mancala board to the side and moved closer to the girl. "Ain't I allowed ta look at ya?"

"Sure you can, but um, it's just uncomfortable." Aya busied herself with flattening out the creases on the bed, trying to look anywhere near the bandit.

Tasuki let out a snort as he ceased his advancing. "What's the matter, hentai? I would have thought ya would've been the first one to make a move." Tilting his head to the side slightly he continued his examination of the girl.

Aya looked up after these statements, mouth slightly ajar as she readied a snide remark, but she remained silent when she caught sight of the bandit.

_Damn… he's hot._

"Heh, there's the hentai I know an' love." Tasuki cheerfully stated as he caught sight of the look that had come over her face. "Yer the same as always, what are ya thinkin' about?"

Aya shook her head, trying to wipe whatever look Tasuki was talking about off her face. "Stop calling me that will you? I'm not that bad anymore…"

"Yer right, you have toned it down some," His smirk grew larger as he moved in closer, their faces mere inches apart. "Maybe it's time I start stirrin' things up?"

"But what about the game?" The girl asked quickly, though she had been caught completely of guard she tried to sound composed. Tasuki's smug look though made her realize that she had not succeeded. Aya tried to move away from his face, but no matter what, his continued to be right in front of hers.

"I've got a better game in mind." Tasuki stated right before their lips meet.

Yui found herself walking down the hallway, slightly wobbly since she had just awoken from her nap. Her eyes widened as she saw the furniture that had been piled against Cat's room.

"Wow, I must have missed something." The miko stated as she tried to climb over a bed that had been placed right in front of the door. As soon as she was over the obstacle she grabbed hold of the door knob she thought belonged to Miaka and Taka.

"Hey you guys, what's up with the barricade?" She asked as she let herself in the room. When her eyes fell on the rooms occupants, though she gave out a slight gasp.

"Oh wow, I'm sorry!" With a quick 180 she was out of the room faster than anything, the door slamming shut behind her as she left the half dressed college student and bandit in total embarrassment.

Over a bed later and down the hall to the next door that belonged to them, Yui dashed through without a moment's thought. Thankfully, Miaka and Taka were just seated on the beds, talking civilly for now. Yui's face seemed to be a more interesting subject, as they both got up and approached the Seiryuu miko.

"What happened?" Miaka asked. "If it's about the furniture outside--"

"Not that," Yui managed, holding a hand out. Her face began to darken and she used that same hand to hide her face.

Taka stared at her, using the silence to think up a reason. "You… you didn't let Chichiri or Cat out, did you?"

The next bout of silence and Yui couldn't hold it back any longer. "Tasuki… Aya… I think they'll be sharing a room tonight."

Miaka stared at her best friend, then looked up at Taka when he began a low chuckle, then began to laugh. "What?" The Suzaku miko asked, glancing between the two of them. "Wouldn't they anyway—Oh." And she joined her friend in blushing with a soft giggle.

Down the hall a bit, in the room that was blocked by several of the inn's furniture, was a very confused girl and a monk. Cat found that Chichiri's words had made the room darken, spin, and fall out from under her. She was floating, she was falling, she was… completely confused about her emotions. She turned away and had told him that he could stay in the room if he wished as she settled back into the covers.

Chichiri leaned back a bit in the chair, staring at the lump that was the girl he just confessed his feelings… something he believed was buried deep in him and finally decided to surface. His maskless face softened into a smile as he noticed the mussed up hair shifting along the mattress, rubbing the face into the pillow. The small shudders betrayed the young woman, but she dared not voice anything else.

It continued to grow late, and eventually Cat was able to drift into a deep sleep with the seishi watching over her. He made sure his chair was out of her way in case she decided to wake and nodded off eventually. The pair had been shattered, but they were just trying to mend and get back on their feet together.

And just across from the peaceful scene, Aya swore to every known deity that her face could not get any redder… and yet somehow it did. She pulled her shirt down, straightened her hair with a hand, and kept the other one on the bandit's chest at arm's length.

"Damn girl," huffed Tasuki, glaring at the door for the past minutes since Yui barged in.

Aya wondered if they had doors that locked easily in any of these ancient Chinese buildings. Her arm slowly dropped back to her lap. "Too fast," she mumbled.

Tasuki turned his attention away from the door and back to Aya. "Fast? Ya the one that jumps inta bed wit' me."

"To _sleep_!" Aya added quickly, lifting a hand to give him a good slap. Before she would put the effort behind him, he was moving again. "W-what're you doing?" Tasuki closed the space between the two of them, reaching out for her arm and pulling it back to him. "I didn't mean anything in _that _way," Aya warned.

Tasuki did not seem to be listening. He pulled her closer into an embrace, holding back the arm she slaps with most often. He brought his head down, Aya closing her eyes automatically as he approached. Instead, his lips trailed her jawbone, neck, and then his chin rested on her shoulder. "Let's go ta sleep, then," he whispered.

The tickle that ran through Aya ended at her free arm, but the fight left her before she could deliver any harmful blow. He laid down, bringing her along and stretched across the whole bed. His arm had wrapped around her snugly, fitting her into the spot just under his chin. The Seiryuu emissary found herself in that position too often in the last two months or so.

Aya's eyes began to shut down after she got comfortable. She was still flustered from the previous activities, but she felt relaxed enough (and tired) to finally rest. The chest next to her rose up in a deep sigh and it ruffled her light brown hair. The murmur was felt more than heard, but Aya clearly made out Tasuki's words: "I love you."

One eye… Two eyes. Aya stared at Tasuki's shirt, and then jerked her head up to get a look into his face. Calculating the move wrong, she smacked the bandit's chin with the top of her head, his teeth snapping at the movement. She didn't register the dull pain at her crown.

"What the hell was that for?" Tasuki yelled, moving away a bit to rub at his chin.

Aya continued to stare. "What did you say?"

"Ya heard what I said, woman! What's wrong with ya?" Tasuki glared at her, having to lean up on an arm as she sat up quickly.

Aya shook her head slowly, eyes refusing to meet his at that point. "Before that… Before… Well, maybe I imagined in," her voice lowered in volume.

Tasuki grabbed her arm and pulled her back down again. He forced her to look up at him, hand then running through her locks and catching at the knots. "Ya heard right, Aya." He placed a chaste kiss on her lips. "I do love ya."

For the unknown time that night, Aya felt the blood run to her face. She felt him settle his head down on the pillow again and looked up to find him still watching her, waiting for her to settle down. She smiled at his innocent face then, reaching for his hand with one of her own as she placed her head back in its spot, his chin cradling the low throb there now. "Love you, too, Tasuki."

* * *

... This was written between the hours 10pm and 1am. Please note all grammatical errors to exam stress. Please note all corny, super-fluffly, mushy stuff, etc to our frustration at keeping this fanfic going for 17 chapters… and having to get somewhere at last. 

And please leave reviews for inspiration.

Thank you to everyone that's given us hope of an ending!

And now for a sneak peek at chapter 18:

**chicky chicky bow wow**

Just kidding! We ARE gonna keep it clean, I swear!


	19. Chapter 18

Cat: Well, it's been awhile but here it is! A brand new chapter, eagerly awaiting to be reviewed like crazy! XD I hope you guys enjoy this one, it was loads of fun to write. Things are really going to get interesting from here on out I think!

**Disclaimer:** No, we don't own it. We never will.

ENJOY! XD

* * *

For the next few days the girls found traveling to be a very pleasant experience. Chichiri and Cat were often found together, discussing various topics and enjoying the others company. Aya and Tasuki also spent most of their time together, the couple often spotted holding hands and displaying their affection in a much more open manner.

The group traveled onwards, finally making it into territory that belonged to Konan. The late morning sun was pleasant and the travelers decided to take a break and partake in an early lunch after Miaka had suggested they do so.

Aya placed a foot in her mares' strap, getting ready to dismount when Cat brought her own horse up next to her. A wide smile placed on the tan girls features brought a frown to Aya's.

"What's' with that look?" Aya asked as she finally dismounted, hitting the ground with a thud. She tried to avoid Cat's eyes, making herself busy with removing some things from the pack the mare carried.

"Oh nothing, I was just thinking about something." The sweet yet sinister way that Cat's voice came out made the hairs on Aya's neck stand straight.

Finally Aya's brown eyes meet with her friends, a look of dread in them. "What have you been thinking about?" Cat's eyes moved off from Aya to Tasuki who stood only a few paces away, busily helping Taka start up the fire. Bringing her eyes back Cat gave off a snort. "Oh, you know what I'm thinking about."

Before Aya could deny anything the other girl had already moved on. "You two have been getting awfully familiar with each other, makes me wonder what you do when the two of you head off into the forest." Aya's face flushed with color at Cat's suggestion, pulling out the first thing she found in her bag and flinging it towards the still mounted girl.

"What kind of girl do you think I am! I'd never do that!" Aya yelled out angrily, watching as Cat grabbed the towel just before it hit her face.

"Uh huh, sure. Do you mean to tell me that you two haven't done _anything_ yet?" Silence fell between the girls, Cat's grin growing larger as time went by. "Thought so." She called out happily, finally getting ready to get off her horse.

"Oh yah? Well you and the monk have been getting pretty cozy too, what do you two do when you're alone?" As soon as Aya finished the question Cat's smug look was wiped off her face.

"Well… nothing actually." This time it was Cat's turn to blush.

"Really?" Aya asked in a confused voice, taking a glance at Chichiri who was currently tending the now hearty fire. "Not even kissed?" Cat shook her head slightly, coming to land next to her friend.

"Ya know, I could give you some pointers if you want… Tas and I have kinda, well, I'd know how to," But Aya was at a loss for words; scratching her head she began to wish she hadn't said anything at all.

"No way, you have done it, haven't you!" And this time Cat's loud proclamation finally captured some attention from the others.

Tasuki made his way over to the girls, eyeing Aya especially. "What are ya two yellin' 'bout?" He asked as his amber eyes trailed from Aya to Cat.

"Your babies!" If Cat had failed to capture the undivided attention of all the party members before she certainly had succeeded now. Miaka was the first to react, giggling as she came closer to Aya who had turned to the most vivid shade of magenta possible.

"Oh, Aya-chan, that's great! How many are you going to have?" The Suzaku no miko continued to smile while the others simply stared at Aya.

"I'm not pregnant!" Aya finally managed to scream out, bawling up her fists. The others took this as a sign to leave the girl alone, going back to their tasks. Cat finally decided to let her friend be, giggling as she made her way to a confused monk.

When the couple was alone Tasuki turned back to Aya, slightly abashed. "But if you were, you'd tell me, right?" Aya simply stared back at him when he finished his question, shaking her head after a few moments.

Since it was such a lovely day the group decided to take an hour long break after finishing their meal to enjoy it. Miaka and Yui were off in one corner reviewing from some school books. Yui was currently quizzing her friend, sighing in frustration every time the Suzaku no miko would look off towards her boyfriend.

Tasuki and Cat were examining the horses for any injuries, the two deep in discussion over a particular mare that just didn't seem to be able to keep up with the rest of the horses. Taka and Chichiri were huddled over some maps, talking about which route would allow them to reach the palace before nightfall.

Aya on the other hand wasn't being productive. With her back against a large tree she was looking over some of the manga she had brought with her on the long forgotten trip to Philadelphia. Flipping through volume 17 of her Japanese copy of Fushigi Yuugi she came across the infamous scene between Tasuki and Miaka. Frowning, the Seiryuu emissary quickly closed the manga, tossing it in the general direction of her bag.

"Hey Aya," Yui's voice called to the now almost dozing girl. "Do you think you could help us with this?" Waving about a thick packet the two high school girls smiled towards the college student.

"Er, sure," Aya let out as she got to her feet, making her way over to the pair reluctantly. "Don't know how much I can help though, not really too good with studying…" But before she could back out the miko had already pulled her down to a seating position and began plaguing her with questions.

Soon after Aya went to go help the miko, Chichiri and Taka finished pouring over the maps. Getting to his feet the monk nodded. "I believe that will be the most efficient way, no da. It's also the most secluded so we will have less of a chance of running into trouble, na no da." Taka nodded as he leaned back, getting ready to take a nap.

"Hold her still or else we'll never get this done!" Cat exclaimed as she tried to apply a salve to the problematic mare. Tasuki was holding the horses' reigns, trying to keep her from moving about to much.

"I'm tryin', she's just too fidgety." The bandit stated as he got a tighter hold on the horse, now holding her head still. Cat once again crouched down and tried to apply the medicine but as soon as she brushed against the leg the animal became frantic.

_I'd better go and help, no da. _Chichiri made his way after watching the pair, managing to step on the discarded manga on his way. Feeling the volume below him he looked down, brows knitting together as he puzzled over it. He knelt down slowly, picking up the book which currently only displayed the back cover. Flipping it over though his face dropped. "It can't be…" He let out as he stared at Miaka's image.

He hesitated for a moment but soon enough the pages were opened and he scanned the all too familiar faces and scenes. His face grew graver as he went on, but it wasn't until he reached a particular section that he grew solemn. There before him was himself on the very day that the fierce flood had destroyed his village and he had lost his eye.

He stared at the image, seeming to be unable to tear away from it. But without any warning he quickly got back up, heading straight towards Cat who had finally managed to apply the salve to the horse.

"I thought we'd never get her to stay still." The girl said as she wiped her forehead off with a sleeve, feeling something odd she turned to find Chichiri, greeting him with a smile. "Hey, where were you? We could have used your help a minute ago…" But seeing his expression she became silent, scanning his face with and anxious look. "What's wrong?"

Without saying anything the monk shoved the manga towards her. Cat took the volume slowly, her face filling with horror as she stared at the cover.

"What's this 'bout, Chiri?" Tasuki asked as he moved closer to the pair, glancing down at the book he caught a glimpse of himself. "What is that?" He asked as he began to stare Cat down as well.

"That's exactly what I want to know." Chichiri's serious voice stated as he continued to watch the young girl.

Aya had finally gotten a chance to look over at the trio while Yui and Miaka busied themselves with memorizing a few terms. Seeing Cat being cornered by the men she quickly got to her feet, frowning as she made her way over. Tasuki's fierce eyes met her own when she had finally arrived. Aya looked at all the faces of those present, her frown growing deeper as she went on. Finally she looked at what Cat held in her hands, turning slightly pale.

"It's a book." Cat finally managed in a weak voice, not able to lift her head.

"Why are we in it? What happened before, why can you see it?" Chichiri's voice quivered slightly as he asked the girl.

"I don't know." Cat answered truthfully, shaking her head.

"It's from our world." Aya jumped in, her normal color returning slowly. "Before we came here we read it."

The Seishi remained silent while the explanation seeped in; Chichiri was the first to break it. "You knew everything?" His eye fell on Cat, anger evident in his features.

"Yes." Cat replied softly, finally able to look up at the monk. "But it's not like we meant to do any harm, we didn't know that this actually existed, that it was possible and you existed." She tried her hand at explaining what she found to be unexplainable, swallowing down the lump that had formed in her throat.

But the explanation was not enough to calm the rage that Chichiri was feeling. "You kept it from us all this time." He paused, drawing in air as if to calm himself, but it only seemed to make him more upset.

"It wasn't our fault! We read it by chance, it's not like we set out to dig into your past," Aya cried out, eyes locked with the bandit's. "It's like reading a fairy tale here and then meeting whoever it is was in the fairy tale later on. We had no control over it."

"Why didn't you tell us? Why didn't you let us know all the information that you knew?" Chichiri yelled out, the others finally becoming aware of the conflict. "You lied to us all this time!"

"And what would you have done if you knew? You would have locked me out, not even giving me a chance to explain that even though I knew who you were, even though," Cat began to tremble, her thoughts all over the place and the process of making coherent sentences impossible at the moment.

Starting up again in a softer tone she tried to maintain control over her emotions. "Just because I happened to know those things, does that mean I didn't have a chance to get close to you?"

Silence fell over the group once more, Chichiri not looking at the emissary of Suzaku. "It doesn't matter, I know the truth now." His voice was cold as he directed his comments to Cat.

It took Cat only a moment to gather up her anger and utilize it. She walked towards the monk Seishi, standing in his line of sight, locking eyes with him. "I don't even know what I saw in you," Shoving the book into his hands tears began to appear. "You're so concerned with the past that you can't see what's right in front of you." Without another word she made her way towards the horses, jumping up into a saddle and setting off, leaving Aya and Tasuki behind to deal with the situation in their own way.

The bandit exhaled deeply, staring at the girl before him. "What exactly do ya know?" He asked as he crossed his arms. He wasn't as upset as Chichiri but he was still angry.

"I know lots, the whole story about how Miaka gathered up the Seishi and summoned Suzaku. Some of your past, how you ran away from home and joined the bandits." Aya stopped there, deciding that was enough information, she didn't want to delve into the details.

"Ya should have told us, Aya." Tasuki stated as he scanned the girl's face, clearly disappointed. "Ya lied to me all this time, making us believe ya didn't know a damn thing!"

At the man's words Aya began to grow just as angry. "Do you think I did this on purpose? Do you think I wanted to come here in the first place! I was _brought_ here and even though this is not my world I am still helping! If you want to be a jackass and dwell over the details about how I knew this and knew that, fine! But don't you dare look down on me because of it."

Moving forward she grabbed a hold of Tasuki's jacket, pulling him down slightly. "You would've done the same." She promptly let go, stalking off in the same direction Cat had gone.

During Aya and Cats absence the miko found themselves deep in discussion over the new revelation. "I can't believe they knew what happened to us, all of it." Miaka stated as she looked off in the direction that the American girls had gone off towards.

"Well, to be fair, it's kind of like what we went through at first." Yui said as she finished packing her books into her bag. "When you went into the book I was able to read everything that was happening, though I suppose what they were able to see is worse because it goes into everyone's past."

"I mean, I know they wouldn't have read it if they knew we were real but I still feel," Miaka struggled for the right word, looking towards her best friend with a strained expression. "Violated. There were lots of things in that manga that I would not want anyone to know and they did."

The Suzaku no miko scanned the area, her eyes falling on Chichiri and Tasuki. The men hadn't said a word after the incident and had remained seated away from the group in silence.

"I wonder if they'll ever be able to stay together for more then a few days." Yui let out with a sigh as she got to her feet, swinging her bag over her shoulder. Miaka continued to stare towards her Seishi, moving towards them after a few moments. Standing before the two she took in a deep breath, trying to pull her thoughts together.

"You know, it's not their fault." Miaka stated as she looked down at Chichiri, her face softening as she looked over the maskless man before her. He simply continued to stare off, not acknowledging her. "I know you're listening so I'm going to keep going because this is something you have to hear."

Without an invitation she took a seat in front of the men. "I know it feels like she betrayed you, but she didn't. Cat's a good person," Turning towards Tasuki she tried to force his eyes on her. "So is Aya. Those girls haven't done anything wrong, they've only helped us since they arrived and to their own disadvantage at times."

The miko paused, her eyes on the ground now as she recalled some of her own experience in Konan. "It's not easy being taken away from your world and brought here, having so much put on your shoulders." At this Tasuki and Chichiri both lifted their eyes, watching the girl. Her face was solemn as she remained silent.

"You can't do this to them, they love you both so much, it's not fair to cast them away because of what happened in the past. They didn't tell us because they probably thought it would tear at us. Finding out that events in your life were placed in a book and allowed to be read by strangers, things that are private… They didn't want us to feel sad. They were only protecting us." Finally coming out of the trance like state she had fallen into Miaka stared back at the men, frowning.

"You can't toss them aside because of that one detail, what's more important, that they knew or that they love you regardless?" At her last statement Chichiri stirred slightly but he didn't say a word. Deciding that she had said all she could Miaka left the men to their thoughts.

Cat and Aya did not return to the camp. Instead the pair made their way towards the palace. "I can't believe I let all of this make me forget about what I need to do." Cat growled out as she directed the injured mare. "My only goal is to make it home."

Behind her Aya remained silent, having swung up to settle behind her friend when she found Cat waiting a few yards away.

"As soon as I find a way home I'm going, they can deal with Vereor by themselves. I'm sick of helping their cause, this isn't my world. We've been gone for almost half a year, what about our families? They're more important than anything here." Cat continued on her rampage, grabbing on to the reigns tightly.

"It's okay," Aya quietly let out from behind her. Cat twisted in the saddle, trying to get the girl in her field of vision. But if she had expected Aya to say anything else her hopes were dashed. The emissary of Seiryuu fell back into silence.

The rest of the party caught up to the girls soon enough, not saying anything as they regrouped and finally reached the city, the palace nearing in view.

They reached the front gates in no time, their faces clearly displaying contentment for having arrived at the safe haven. "Wow, it's been so long since we've been here, I wonder how Houki-sama and Boushin-sama are doing." Miaka exclaimed as she lifted herself off the saddle slightly, trying to peer over the gates that were closed.

"Odd, there's no one posted at the gate…" Taka stated as he searched for a guard. Behind him Miaka was starting to dismount, he quickly grabbed a hold of her, firmly keeping her atop the horse. "What are you--" But the Suzaku no miko did not have time to finish her thought, at that moment the gates swung open, a harsh wind blowing through.

The mounts reared, whining their dismay. "What the hell!" Tasuki let out as he struggled to hold on. They all managed to stay on, Cat dismounting as soon as she had managed to calm the mare, the animal fleeing as soon as she had done so. Facing the entrance she caught sight of the veiled image of a man.

Without thinking she immediately summoned the protective shield, defending the group from the gale. As soon as the wind ceased the rest of the party joined the emissary of Suzaku on the ground.

"What are we going to do? He's taken over the palace!" Yui exclaimed as she watched their enemy continue his attempts, the gale growing stronger, hoping to knock Cat back.

"Well we have to do something and quick, it's not gonna last much longer." Taka stated as he glanced around, trying to pull a plan together quickly.

"Hold on Cat, just a little longer." Aya provided as she watched her friend struggle to maintain her concentration. Biting her lower lip the girl nodded her head slightly. "I can't hold it much longer; he's trying to mentally exhaust me."

Turning back Cat looked at the rest of the group. "I'm lowering it; he's going to beat me so I might as well conserve my energy for later." She stated, clearly trying to think of something to do. "Mount your horses, get away from here and try to find some place that shields you." The red barrier began to falter as soon as she finished, the others quickly getting on their mounts.

"Cat, what are you going to do!" Aya asked as she stared down at the girl.

Before Aya could protest further the shield had disappeared. She kicked her horse, riding off towards the nearest building that provided protection. Cat didn't wait more then a few seconds, using the time she had bought by baffling her enemy to allow the others to retreat.

She created another shield, but this time it was a glowing red sheet separating her from Vereor. Without any hesitation the glowing wall flew towards the man. Vereor grinned as he watched the approaching energy, vanishing moments before it reached him. Breathing heavily Cat stared at where the man had just been the rest of the party began to emerge from where they had hidden.

"What the hell was that!" Aya yelled as she jumped off the horse, landing next to her friend and grabbing her left arm. "What the hell were ya thinking!"

Cat gave off a weak grin. "I'm surprised it worked, didn't think I could shape it into whatever form I needed." Aya was about to continue scolding the girl but she soon found herself in need of providing aid herself.

Palace guards poured out from the gates, all wearing odd expressions, obviously possessed by Vereor. "Great." Aya let out as she changed into her bestial form, cracking her knuckles and making her way towards the group of men.

"Don't kill them, they're possessed!" Tasuki cried out as he made his way forward, ready to act as well.

Aya didn't intend to kill her opponents, merely beat them until they became unconscious. She crouched low for a moment, gaining strength as a guard approached her. When he came too close she sprung up, hitting the wall and then ricocheting off of it and into the guard striking him in the back. The man flew forward, landing a few yards away from the girl.

Her kanji symbol glowed an electric blue as she reared on her next opponent, wasting no time in slicing his bow in half. While the man stood perplexed, the two halves of his bow in his hands, Aya fell to the ground, sweeping the man off his feet with her own and cracking one of the arrows that had scattered over the floor over his head.

Tasuki unsheathed his tessen but only used it to bang his opponents, careful not to harm them more than needed. Aya set off after a pair, managing to slam them down, knocking them immediately unconscious. Without waiting she made her way towards another man, kicking him in the gut and then kneeing him in the face.

When the last guard fell Aya found herself grinning, pleased with her handy work. Unknown to her a guard she had thought to be unconscious was aiming an arrow straight for the girl.

"Aya!" Cat yelled out as she caught sight of the man, the rest of the party turning to see him just as he released the arrow.

Aya, caught off guard, merely stood frozen to her spot, unable to react. Just before the arrow struck its intended target Tasuki shoved the girl out of the way sending her to land harshly on the floor. She was just able to see the arrow puncture his left bicep, the Seishi's face screwing up in pain as he let out a slight gasp. Before the guard could notch another arrow, Taka tackled him to the ground.

Grasping his wounded arm, Tasuki placed his right hand on the arrow, tearing it out quickly. Aya watched in horror as the blood spurt out of the wound. Tasuki placed his hand over it but the blood continued to seep through.

Cat rushed towards the wounded man, wasting no time in setting to work healing the wound. Miaka had gotten a make shift wrap to use as a bandage which she softly tied around the wound, trying to stop the bleeding.

Tasuki did not say a word as the girls fussed over him; his eyes merely remained on Aya, a pained look in them. It didn't take long for Cat to seal up the wound, cleaning the area up as best she could. As soon as the bandit was healed Aya rose to her feet, making her way towards Tasuki. Cat and Miaka moved aside, letting the two be together.

"I'm sorry; you shouldn't have done that though." Aya said as she sadly looked at the spot that had just been punctured moments ago.

Taking in a deep breath Tasuki looked down on the newly healed wound as well. "It didn't hurt, I'm jus' sorry I didn't react quicker." His amber eyes fell on the girl, a troubled look to them. "Aya, about earlier, I'm sorr--"

"Come in, come in, I have been expecting you." A sinisterly pleased voice broke Tasuki's sentence, the gates began to close soon after, the party being forced to enter. "I think it's about time these games ended once and for all. I'll be waiting for you in the throne room."

"Bastard," Yui stated as her eyes darted around the palace grounds, waiting for the next enemy to pop up. "He'd better not run again; it's time he stands his ground."

"I think he's done running." Aya said as she began to walk towards the main entrance of the palace, still maintaining her bestial form. Cat joined her in the front, her use of the shield not seeming to have affected her too much this time.

"What if it's a trap?" Miaka asked as the group moved further down the corridor. "What if he's not even in the room?"

"What choice do we have? We're just going to have to go along with it." Yui told her friend, warily making her way forward.

The party finally arrived to their destination. The throne room was not cheerfully bright and inviting as it had been when the college girls had first seen it, instead it was dreadfully dark. Tasuki and Chichiri had taken the lead and they now stood at the entrance.

"Please, there's no need for that." Vereor called out to them from the darkness, a bright light suddenly engulfing the room and causing the party to go momentarily blind. Tasuki's tessen and Chichiri's staff were torn out of their hands by an invisible force, landing at their enemy's feet.

"Please, come in," His silver eyes scanned Miaka, Taka, Yui, Tasuki and Chichiri's faces. "Aya," He called out as his gaze fell upon the girl. "Cat," And they slowly trailed over towards the next person he had called. "We really must talk; I've been dying for the chance to learn more about, what is it called again?" During the slight pause the girls felt themselves being sucked towards the man, not dragged but making their way slowly towards him as if they were in a trance. "Earth?"

At his last words Aya's eyes grew wide, staring back at the man. "Ah yes, I know all about your lovely home. That is, _your_ Earth." The girls finally came to stand before the man, a smile appearing upon his inhuman face.

"You see my dears I haven't been running away as some of your comrades have supposed." As he spoke he raised a pale hand, a single finger lightly trailing over Aya's cheek. "I was simply testing the rifts, so that I would be able to travel to your world." His soft words wrapped around the girl's brain, she found herself unable to move even as he leaned towards her, their lips almost touching.

"Aya!" Tasuki cried out, trying hopelessly to push past the barricade which Vereor had constructed to keep the rest of the group out. At the sound of his voice the girl stirred, pulling back.

"Hm," The smile on his lips grew larger as he watched Aya's expression of loathing increase.

"It's a shame I wasn't able to kill you then, I would have saved myself so much trouble." His stated as his eyes fell upon Cat who had been just as entranced as her friend. He placed a hand under Cat's chin, lifting it up so that her eyes met his. "Your little ability does vex me so." He glanced down at a rip his tunic sported. "I must say I didn't expect it. But perhaps you will be useful after all."

"What do you want?" Chichiri finally asked, his face screwed up in anger as he watched Vereor toy with the girl.

"What do I want?" When he finished speaking he let out a cold laugh. "This is what I want." And in the blink of an eye he placed his lips lightly on the girl's forehead, his arms wrapping around her in order to keep her from pulling away. He stayed their only briefly though, moving down to her lips.

The shock that followed caused the entire group to remain silent and simply watch, that is until Chichiri finally realized what was happening. "Let her go!"

But Vereor did not release the girl from his grasp; he merely reopened his silver eyes, watching the monk Seishi with a smug look of satisfaction. He gave a wink in order to further emphasize the pleasure he was attaining from his acts.

Something inside of Chichiri snapped and this was just what he needed to break through the barrier, managing to teleport next to Vereor. But just as soon as he arrived Vereor vanished, releasing Cat from his embrace. The girl felt drained and she began to sink down to her knees, Chichiri quickly grabbing her before she hit the ground. "Thank you my dear, I believe these images will do well enough for me to create a rift to your world."

He moved off to the side, revealing a large circular mirror. Stepping behind it he momentarily vanished from view, the room silent. Moments afterwards the mirror which had simply reflected the room began to contain swirls of colors, and shortly after they transformed into a view of the Century Tower at the University of Florida.

When Vereor stepped back in front of the group, he held a satisfied smug look. "It took me awhile, but I finally gained control of them."

Seeing that he didn't continue, someone decided to ask the question: "You control the dimensional rifts?" It was Miaka. She was glaring at their enemy, fists clenched tightly at her sides.

"Not only throughout the dimensions. I traveled between your countries in much the same way; though, to get to one world from another takes a lot of energy from me." Vereor turned to his mirror, and for a moment everyone thought he was going to step through. "I have little interest in this old medieval world, nor your miko's fantastical world of incantations in books. My home was very much like this one." He waved a hand at the University plaza.

Aya struggled against the hold he still had over them. She gave a worried glance over to Cat, who was shielded by Chichiri after he set her back onto her feet. His staff was held protectively in front of her, one hand on her shoulder. Only his strained face showed signs that he was under the same influence and was still held back from attacking Vereor.

The tall illusionist stepped aside, giving a dramatic sigh. "It was a drastic detour, but with my world dying around me, I had to leave immediately. There was not a soul left, except for me. It was still theoretical, but seeing I had no choice, I had to put all my energy into creating my first rift and tossing myself here. Summoning my demonic companions took little effort to keep villagers and the countries occupied from hunting me down. When I heard of others' potentials here, I decided it would be best to keep them entertained with other things. It was very unfortunate that with my earlier attempts at creating a rift to another world, I accidentally brought forth the two girls."

"You both have caused a major setback, but I got all the adjustments correct and have created a more stable approach at crossing worlds." He swung a hand to the large mirror, proudly grinning at his final product. "My power is like a science. And your world has what I need; the technology, and the lack of any other magical potential. I still must thank you for the inspiring view of your large kingdom."

Vereor bowed mockingly to them, irritating Aya all the more. She felt Seiryuu's power start to flow back through her veins; her hackles rose and her eyes bled as she did her best glare. Seeing she still couldn't move, that was the best she could do. She dared to move her eyes in Chichiri and Cat's direction, finding them close and tense, but no other movements.

"What do you want from our world?" It was Cat that spoke, her voice trying to keep as calm as possible.

Vereor smirked at her, looking back to the deserted corner by Turlington plaza and the Century tower of their school. "It's a funny thing: how delicate a world can be. Mine couldn't take to the stress I placed in it. I sat under the emperor for years of my country. _Decades_ under the man whom I chose as my father. Eventually I grew too powerful for him, and though I was loyal, tried to have me executed for something I did not commit. So I took his kingdom. And his world."

His eyes were glazed, lost in his story as he stared through the mirror. "Unfortunately I didn't know my own power, either. And the people there were so weak. So all that remained after my attack were the demons that hung around me always… those I brought to this world since there was nothing else to live for in the other. My minions are nothing more than fear born out of people—one of my many talents."

There was a long silence. Then, his silver eyes found Aya and Cat again. The others behind the barrier were ignored, although they have not forgotten themselves or been trapped under the spell those close to their enemy have.

Vereor decided to continue, seeing his captives were enthralled by his words. "I've learned many skills, though I must say illusions and telepathy are the most useful. I could twist people's strong emotions to my will… But the important one now is this skill," he said with a wave to the mirror. "And I am ready to enjoy all the fear I will bring to it. Of course I won't do the same mistake as with my planet. I've gained enough control." He grinned now, showing his teeth to the girls, making each one strain against his spell. "I would have enjoyed it more with this world, except jumping from one place to the other is quite exhaust—"

The words began to filter through the barrier almost right away. Aya and Cat felt the pull of their powers almost immediately. They both tried to jerk their heads and look behind them. The movement was not missed by their enemy.

"… _The Four Directions of the Earth_

_By using the way, mind, and goodness_

_With deep rules…_"

Vereor did not waste a moment. Yui and Miaka's voice began to grow strong and confident. No matter how Aya and Cat looked at it, the next few seconds felt like an eternity.

The first two lines caught Vereor unaware, dropping his closest hold on the three in front of him. Cat was the first to move, with Aya right on her heels. The former flew forward with a new rage powering her blood, even as her energy was being drained by her miko.

Aya would have reached their enemy first if it were not that Seiryuu's miko's pull was twice as strong as Miaka's.

Vereor snapped back to attention at the charging girl. He put his own power into shielding him from a burst of Cat's, energy shield against another. Cat's momentum never ceased, and his hand darted out to catch her outstretched arm. He twisted her arm around and tossed her behind him in a fluid motion, sending her straight through the mirror. Just when the miko's voice escalated into the final verse, Aya's surprise tackle collided with Vereor.

They rolled and struggled, with Aya sinking her teeth into his exposed hand. Her knees scraped on cobblestone and the incantation had stopped. Her clawed hand struck out, but a sudden wave of nausea didn't follow Vereor's movement and she bruised it against the solid ground.

Vereor rolled away from the girl, aware that Cat was getting up close by from when he tossed her. He stumbled a few steps back, glancing around nervously for any sign of other life. Lucky for the girls, he chose the dead of the night and campus was empty around those parts.

When Aya looked up for another chance to throttle her enemy to death, he had disappeared.

"Shit!" Her voice echoed, and it startled her. Cat helped her stand up straight. They both looked around desperately, wide-eyed.

Miaka and Yui's voices were gone. Chichiri's strong arms were far from Cat's shoulders. And Tasuki's concerned face was in another dimension entirely.

Cat and Aya had arrived back home, months after they were transported away with the warm spring night to greet them now. And with the Gods' powers burning through their veins.

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Cat: Oh the drama, will it ever end! Of course not! Keep on checking for updates to find out what happens next to our baffled heroines... oh and while you wait leave a few reviews :D


	20. Chapter 19

Aya here! It's been awhile, hasn't it? We're so sorry about the late updates! We're starving college students, afterall, so between keeping up our grades and making sure we have enough money to eat, things get busy. - But besides our true sad lives, we have a new chapter for all our fans!

Before that:

**Disclaimer:** We only own Aya and Cat and the sexy beast known as Vereor (yah, we both have the hots for that one). Tasuki and Chichiri and any other FY fan are property of Watase Yu.

Enjoy!**

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**CHAPTER 19**

It took a long shocking moment to get their senses together. There was a wave of joy between the two of them, and then a secret intense sorrow as they stared at the place they had suddenly appeared at.

Aya had silent tears trailing her face, but she refused to lift her head and look at Cat. It would only get the other girl just as depressed, though Cat was the one most relieved at being back for the moment.

The first thing they did was hunt the surrounding area for Vereor. They quickly began to run into a few people. Aya stumbled into a drunken man trying to find his dorm. Cat asked a group of girls, they were out late and trying to get home as well, if they had seen a man with Vereor's descriptions. None were of any help.

When they decided that V pulled a rift-jump, as they dubbed his disappearing acts, Cat and Aya ran for the nearest Alligator stand and pulled out one of the remaining newspapers.

"April 21st!" Cat screamed out. "We left in November. November! It's been half a year. We missed the end of our Fall semester _and_ all of Spring!"

Aya stared at her. "You're thinking about school? I'm scared to think what happened to my mom… I wonder if we've got little pictures of us floating around with a 'Have You Seen Me' sign." She stared up at the sky, unfamiliar to the weak stars shining through. She rubbed at her eyes again.

"How are we going to get home?" Cat said, sitting down a bench with her friend. "We gotta tell our families we're alive at least."

It was a long moment, but both girls gasped suddenly at the realization. "What are we going to _tell_ them?" Aya said first.

Cat shook her head. "No idea! We can't say the truth… And I know my parents. They'll think I was abducted and raped if I suddenly came back to them. At least I'm not dead, but this isn't going to be pretty."

Aya whined, burying her head in her hands. "I miss him so much already." Her shoulders threatened to shake, but she held on to her emotions tightly until later when she would have some time to herself. "I don't want to deal with this. What if we can never get back there?"

Cat had refused to answer her, but she finally voiced her opinion. "We probably can't. Vereor helped open the rifts between dimensions. It's one thing for Miaka and Yui to travel, but we live somewhere completely different. We might as well get back to our lives here, where we belong." It was clear by her voice that she was hurt as much as Aya, but angry just as well from their argument with the guys before they left.

Aya felt empty. They stayed together on the bench for a long while, trying to pull their personal emotions back in order to form some sort of plan. Hopefully, from what they drafted out, they would be able to get home with few problems. Considering how things worked in their home, that was highly unlikely though.

They found themselves walking to the university police department with dawn hanging just over the horizon. They were both exhausted; the adrenaline rush had long ago vanished from their system.

There was a light on in the building, causing Aya to hang back a bit more. The prospect of seeing her family again had Cat speed up to the entrance.

"Cat," Aya called. No one had noticed them yet. "Whatever happens after this… We can't forget that Vereor is here. There's no doubt that he's still here in our world somewhere."

Cat stopped and looked back at her friend. More like a sister to her after all those months together.

"And this," Aya added, extending her hand out and then extending her claws as Seiryuu's powers were summoned up. It was tiring, but she still had enough stamina to flex her hand for a moment. "We can't tell anyone, but it's still our problem."

"Put those away before someone sees!" Cat hissed, grabbing Aya's hand. It was already normal, and her friend shuddered under the touch as if in pain. "Come on. Let's get this done so we can sleep."

Getting it done took a lot longer and was more stressful than they would have thought. Cat and Aya walked into the department, up to a tired receptionist that looked at them with a slightly aggravated look. Cat was the courageous one to step forward while Aya hung back with a gloomy face.

"May I help you?" The lady asked.

Cat's eyes traveled to a bulletin board behind the woman, where several pictures were tacked up. Her eyes widened at the very familiar faces staring out of two pictures. "MISSING" it read, with both hers and Aya's pictures under it.

She looked back at the woman. _What do I say?_ Her exhaustion didn't help as her mind switched to sarcastic mode. "Have you found those two girls yet?" Cat said softly, pointing to the paper.

The woman couldn't resist looking at it. She stared at it long and hard, turning back with her mouth hanging wide open. "Oh, my God!" She grabbed the phone before answering the two girls, calling in for the Chief in command. She got up afterwards. "Please, take a seat. Lieutenant Anderson will be here in a moment. Do you need anything? Something warm to drink?"

Another officer came out of the inside station, carrying a bundle in his arms. Two blankets. He stared at the girls with just as much of a shocked impression.

Aya wondered how many people come back from disappearance. Especially well-behaved college freshmen like themselves, who don't have a habit of running around or possibly eloping with the nearest man. The way the station staff behaved around them, they probably had given them up for dead and were searching the swamps for their bodies.

A mug of warm coffee was shoved into their hands, though neither of them touched it. Lieutenant Anderson came a few minutes later and leaned down in front of them. "Aya and Catalina? Are you two alright?"

They nodded reluctantly. Aya was definitely not in the mood to define her current state at the moment.

"We'll call your parents right away. They've been really worried about you two. Could you two tell me where you've been?"

The way they looked must have given the idea that they were definitely a case of kidnapping. Aya and Cat had not taken a good bath in awhile, and they had recently been in a battle. Aya was disheveled and her eyes swollen from silent tears. Cat had patches of stains on her clothes and both had a worn out look to them.

"We've been in a room… someone took us before we got to the bus…" Cat tried her best to choke back her fake sobs.

The man looked grave, and he tried not to look at her face. "Alright. You wait here; we'll take care of you two."

It did not take long for them to call their parents. Cat and Aya refused to speak to their parents on the phone. They sounded hysterical with relief when they were called by the receptionist cop across the room they were taken to.

The exhaustion was not missed by the officers that were smothering them. Eventually, seeing that no questions were going to be answered, and their parents were already beginning the six hour journey, the girls were lead outside and to an empty dorm room that had been evacuated already by students that left home early.

Cat was trying not to think how ironic it was to find herself in the dorms she thought of as her first home away from home, and how she felt a complete stranger in it. They placed a woman officer outside in case they needed anything, but inside they were safe to speak slowly with each other without being overheard.

"We have to avoid answering questions," Cat said after a long moment of silence, having placed a few spare clothes they gave them into the drawers.

Aya snorted and turned to face the wall on her cot. "Yah, that won't be tough. Start bawling when they get too personal. 'What did these people look like? What'd they do to you? How'd you escape?' We're not gonna be able to cry our way out of everything."

Cat sat down on her own bed. "Just think of Tasuki when they're asking you." She knew it was mean to mention him, but she couldn't stop herself. She looked away from her silent friend and to the door. "I hope my dad isn't driving too fast."

Aya did not respond to her anymore. Not with her face buried in her pillow and her mind trying not to go back to the life she lost. Especially not anything in the last month… not the nights she spent with Tasuki under the stars, warmed and secure in his presence.

_Hell,_ she hissed to herself._ I was brought back to hell. _

It was the last thing that went through her mind before she drifted off to sleep. Cat nodded off moments after, her muscles finally beginning to get sore from the previous hours. The sleep went dreamless, but they both suspected that the nightmares would come in the future.

They were awoken with soft knocking and then the gentle voice of the officer waking calling their names. Cat's family had arrived first, and they had them filled in at the station, right next to where they were staying. Aya's mother ran in not long after the officer tried to get the point explained to Cat's family of how delicate they were about the 'kidnapping'.

They were both given time to change into something fresh and get cleaned up a bit. Showers had to wait, but Aya's joyful cry at indoor plumbing was still heard outside of the bathroom. There were a few things she missed. The officer gave her an awkward look as they were escorted out.

The reunion went by a little less hectic than what Aya thought, considering their parents were well-informed to take it easy when they saw the girls. Aya didn't know what hit her when her mother ran up and squeezed the air out of her. Her one eye that was not squashed noticed the same with Cat, except she had her mother and father giving her a deathly hug. Her brother was crying, waiting his turn. There were sobs, wildly spoken Spanish words, more hugs, kisses, and praises of miracles.

Aya was once again worn out to her core after they all sat down in front of Lieutenant Anderson. Her hand was squashed by her mother's long manicured fingers. Cat had her mother wrapped around her happily, with her father's arm around her shoulder protectively.

It was a long discussion, with many tears shared between the families. The basic story, when the girls weren't sobbing, was that they had a sack tossed over their heads and dragged into cars. Lieutenant Anderson was outraged at the fact that no one noticed their kidnappers doing this on the campus, though it was already dark when it had occurred and in a more secluded area. The girls brought his attention back by an award-winning act of sniffles, wringing hands, and paling at their words.

"W-We never saw anything. It was dark, and it had no windows," Aya tried her best to sound truthful. One of her faults was telling bad lies. Thankfully her shuddering breaths hid any hint of her false story. "One meal… just one meal they gave us."

"How did they sound like? Any accents?" Anderson attempted to get any information from the girls.

Cat shook her head slowly. "Well, they were almost Asian sounding…" She buried her face in her hands. Aya spared her a glance behind her lashes. She noticed her friend was trying not to hint to anything to the real men they had spent their time with.

Lieutenant Anderson was frustrated at not getting his answers. He leaned forward in his chair, ignoring the pleading parents asking to take their children home. "We will do everything we can to find these men. Some officers have already been asking the area's residents for any witnesses. "

There was a thick pause; even Aya and Cat's mother's arguing voices stopped. They dreaded Anderson's next words. It did not take him long to ask, "How did you two escape?"

Obviously, Aya and Cat never thought that one through from the glance they spared each other. They covered it with pained expressions of eyes closing or hands passing through their swollen eyes.

Aya improvised. "They were taking us somewhere new. We don't know why, but they came in when we were sleeping. We woke up in a truck…"

"They didn't close the backdoor properly and I opened it. They were pulling out of a rest stop and we managed to roll out."

Lieutenant Anderson took his chance. "What did the car look like? Did any of you get a license number?"

Cat continued, "It was a white van, a big one. We didn't see anything 'cause it was dark, and we rolled into a ditch."

Aya nodded at the story slowly. "We weren't far from Gainesville. But they were going north from here…"

That seemed to satisfy the man, but his suspicious glances did not go unnoticed. The mothers resumed nagging, and he let them go this time. They left with constant supervision to dine at the nearest dining hall with their family. It was a touching reunion, and even Aya came to realize she had missed her mother dearly and kept Tasuki at the back of her mind.

The day came and went. Aya played it out over and over, and when she closed her eyes she thought she'd awaken in Konan again. They were told to remain in Gainesville until the case was either suspended or closed. Anderson said he wished to keep them close in case they came to take them back. Their families stayed the closest hotels while the girls remained under the watch of an officer in the dorm room.

Cat was inspecting the room as Aya read a few old newspapers. "What are you doing?" The Seiryuu emissary asked her friend.

"Looking to see if the room was bugged," Cat mumbled. When she was satisfied, she sat down on her bed. "Aya, we need to talk about V."

Aya turned the page of her newspaper to the funny sections. "What about him?"

"He's planning on taking over our world."

"He is very unoriginal," Aya sighed and lowered the paper. "But what about him? Remember when we just arrived here?" She sat up straight, leveling her gaze with her friend. "He was disorientated and looked exhausted. I bet he wasn't hiding out all those months in the other world for nothing. It probably drains him hopping between dimensions like that. _And_ this time he took us with him."

Cat stared at her and slowly nodded. "He's plotting to take over our world even if it might be in a few months time from now."

"We could rest a bit ourselves, you know. I don't know if you figured it, but Yui and Miaka were summoning our gods. I'm drained still."

"So we still have our powers. But the two of us can't take him down. We have to go to the authorities about it…"

Aya laughed at her friend. "They wouldn't believe us. Actually, Anderson doesn't believe a word we said, either. He's probably gonna keep us here until we crack."

The silence elapsed again, and the two girls drifted off to sleep with that in mind.

It went just the way that Aya had foretold. Well, nearly. They had yet to crack to the officer. He had them come in early the next morning when their eyes were still caked with sleep.

It was simple, he told them. He knew they were keeping the truth from them. Aya grew angry, and she tried to keep her temper down. They guarded their lie with such ferocity that they almost began to believe it themselves, seeing that the truth was unbelievable.

Cat and Aya left the office hungry just before noon to have an awkward lunch with their family. The adrenaline of being reunited was wiped clean from the night before, and they both poked at their meals silently.

The week went uneventful, and Anderson refused to let them go back to Miami. Aya came to learn that it did not take long for her mother to find she was missing. She called the police and had her apartment searched. Her cat was being taken care of by the apartment administrators that weekend. They were the first to hear she went missing, after her mother. Snickers was taken care of until Aya's mother came to pick her up and some of Aya's stuff. Cat's family was a few steps ahead. They were up in Gainesville and threatening the police department to send search parties all over the state. Aya's brother came down from Virginia and her father arrived from Mexico.

Both families had comforted each other, and were convinced the two girls' disappearances were obviously related. They were friends and both going on the same trip. Something occurred before they boarded the bus to take them to Pennsylvania.

Things had begun to settle down a bit, though they kept in contact with the authorities about any information, which ended up being absolutely nothing except the fact the girls disappeared right under their noses. Neither family wanted to take their child for dead. But it definitely crossed their minds in their nightmares.

It was difficult to stay away from their parents, and even the authorities. Both were thrilled at seeing them with only a few injuries and some outrageous story and escapade. If only they knew the truth…

Lieutenant Anderson was a smart man. It was obvious to him the story was created on a whim, and he planned on keeping them there in that dorm room until he could get the truth out of them.

They were seated in his office again, two weeks after they had tumbled through Vereor's portal. Thankfully he convinced the parents to stay out of most of their meetings. Aya was growing increasingly irritated with the man and Cat more worried.

"Girls, I've had a lot of my men out there looking for the van. The information you have given us doesn't help at all, especially since you've been blinded half the time you interacted with your kidnappers and the other half you both were unconscious. Listen, your parents aren't here; we get a lot of cases where protective parents call in because their children have not been in touch. Though, you both have taken it to an extreme in your disappearance act."

"You think we'd keep away from our parents for nearly half a year to run off with someone or do something stupid out of our own free will? We both put a lot of effort just to_ get _into this school." Cat glared at the officer. She was beginning to understand why her friend was annoyed. This was passing the line…

Anderson shrugged his shoulders. "Your story is quite farfetched, especially how you came to escape your captors. If they took so much trouble into keeping you both locked up, they wouldn't have been that reckless."

Aya rolled her eyes. "Couldn't you take the story as it is and let us go? Put it off as another unsolved crime?"

"Aya!" Cat hissed, turning her glare to her.

The Lieutenant smirked. "And have two suspects out there that have been completely imagined? What if one day an officer believes he found them? Even with no descriptions or witnesses, men take their suspicions to heart."

The look the girls were passing each other told the man everything. There was a completely different story.

Cat shrugged back her shoulders. "We were taken and kept away from everything for this past half-year. 'Nough said."

Aya nodded, agreeing with the statement.

Lieutenant Anderson looked between the two of them. He let out one large sigh. "Alright. I've had enough of this game. I'll speak to your parents later."

He left it at that and had them taken back to their dorm room.

The next day, their parents had them packed up and ready to leave back to their homes in Miami. They refused to let them stay in UF, even if they were able to stay enrolled. The ride down was the longest that they both had ever felt, even after all those days traveling through the different countries in the other dimension.

Lieutenant Anderson did not keep in touch with them. They heard word that the story was removed and put off as two freshmen girls taking their freedom lightly, having run off and gotten into their own problems. Cat was angry beyond belief, but Aya was thrilled they never had to explain themselves again.

Another week passed with things settling back to normal. Aya had a visit from her father and brother, which cheered her up greatly. Except for the fact that they had to leave shortly after… She was often found sitting on the edge of her balcony, staring at the light-polluted skies of Miami.

Cat felt awkward and suffocated. She never left the house alone and had supervision unless she was at Aya's place. The night never ended without another argument or tears. Aya began to feel the pressure as well of her mother, always around and making sure she was alright.

The two girls got together often, but their topic of discussion rarely strayed away from their family issues. Bringing up Tasuki and Chichiri caused a serious wave of depression.

A month into their return and the girls were searching for the cheapest apartments by the local university. They still could not find any way to convince their families, whom still believed in their kidnapping stories, to let them return to their campus in Gainesville. However, they at least were able to attend classes in their hometown.

A month and a half into their return and the girls moved Aya's remaining apartment furniture and Cat's own room furniture into their shared flat. It was a cheap two bedroom apartment nearby their new college campus.

One of the main rules was the many duplicate keys every member of their family had, which allowed them entry at any time of the day. Another had been moving Cat's golden retriever into the apartment with them. That rule had been more of the girls' than their parents, but they agreed as the big dog often scared off anyone when it barked, even if the chunky dog was a big coward inside.

Third rule was the cat. Cat put up with Snicker's yowling for Aya. The Siamese was often found hiding from the dog and sleeping on Aya's bed.

There was a routine that began to be set into their daily lives. They both entered the summer semester at the university, taking a few slack classes for some general credits to get their minds off of other things. Cat had to take a job while Aya was still being spoiled by her protective parents. Having a mother come into their apartment early in the morning did not startle them anymore either.

They began to get things back to something of a more normal feel.

Two months into their return and Aya was found pacing their small living room nervously. Cat came home late that night, and her thoughts were running rampant. When her roommate came home, Aya was found sobbing on their couch.

"Aya? Are you alright?" Cat dropped her bag and came over. "Did you have another one of those dreams, again?"

Aya uncurled herself, rubbing at her eyes. "No, I haven't been able to sleep at all. It's…"

"Vereor?" Cat dropped her voice as if he might hear. The memory brought a chill down her spine. Sometimes in the mornings the girls spoke as if their past several months had just been a strange dream. They could almost believe their made-up stories of just being locked away all that time.

Aya shook her head slowly. "I'm just being stupid," she told her friend. Her tears finally stopped and she hugged her pillow. "It's just, I can't forget him. I can't. I know it happened; we both do, and I can't just move on to this life."

Cat took a seat on the other end of the couch. "Well… we can't just sit around and wait for something to happen. We've got to continue with the lives we had planned before." She felt as if her speech was getting really old. Annoyance began to roil inside her stomach, and she regretted the next words when they came out. "You have to move past your fantasies; they probably never existed outside our twisted minds."

The apartment was silent. Aya's sniffles had even stopped, and both girls stared at distant markings.

"You know that's not true," Aya said softly, trying not to sound too hurt by those words.

Cat shrugged her shoulders, too stubborn to take them back. A slow movement caught her attention. She saw as Aya dug into the side of the couch and pulled out a paper towel. She cradled it carefully as if it might break. Cat's curious eyes looked up into her friend's face at last.

Aya couldn't make eye contact, and the sudden anxiety struck both of them. She carefully unwrapped the towel, holding out the stick nervously.

"I've been late," she mumbled, her reddened face complimenting her swollen red eyes. "I bought it yesterday and finally convinced myself to take it today."

Cat stared then felt her jaw drop as the picture finally dawned on her.

"Yah, they're definitely not figments of our imaginations, no matter how many times you tell yourself that, Cat…" Aya sniffed softly, staring at the stick with her friend. "That's saying I'm definitely pregnant."

"I-It's not definite. You have to try it another time!" Cat snapped her attention away from the stick. "Just how much alone time did you get with Tasuki?"

Even after the long sob, Aya took time to look completely embarrassed. "It doesn't take _a lot_ of practice, you know!"

"And didn't you think of this when… when…" Cat was tongue-tied. She tried to skip over that part by waving a hand in the general direction of the stick. "Take some precautions!"

"It was suggested," Aya's embarrassment was being won over by her irritation. All this emotional trauma made her mouth run away with her. "But I didn't agree on the methods."

Cat was about to ask what methods, but she thought better of it, especially considering her friend's face. She frowned at the stick, shaking her head quickly. "We're getting you another one tomorrow, just to make sure."

Aya nodded and hid the stick again in the paper towel, setting it aside on the table and out of the dog's reach.

"We should head to bed. I'll talk to you tomorrow." Cat stood up, straightening her work skirt. "And Aya, don't worry. Everything will work out." She tried to believe it herself as she left her friend, taking her bag and heading into her room.

The next day was a little less depressing. Aya's face was cleared and she tried to act a bit more normal, especially since her mother came in bright and early to make her some breakfast. The two girls were taking a class together that day; they had similar schedules. Not one word fell into Aya's head during the lecture. Right after the two hopped into her car to the nearest drugstore, nervously buying another pregnancy test.

Cat tossed the ball for Harper, her dog, while she waited for the results. The moment that Aya's pale face passed through the hallway, she realized the first results were not a lie. Aya waggled the test in the air before tossing it into the trash.

"Positive. Positive positive. It's true, I'm gonna have Tasuki's baby." The words made her mouth numb. She glared a hole through their carpet.

Cat couldn't help the giggle that escaped. "You're going to have his baby. It's just a bit surreal." A pillow from the floor found Cat's head. "Hey! Sorry… At least you had your moments with him… I, well… I don't have any happy memories to recall."

Aya flopped down next to Cat on the couch, staring at her belly. She raised the hem of her shirt and poked gently, then laid her hand on it. "My mom is going to kill me. I don't know what I should do…"

"Are you thinking of abortion?" Cat stared at her.

"No!" Aya answered truthfully. "I mean, I'm pro-choice, but… well, Tasuki. I'm having _Tasuki's_ baby." It was going to take a few repetitions before she got used to saying that. It still had yet to sink itself in, even though there was something growing inside her already.

Aya decided not to think about it too hard or she would probably start to feel really freaked out. And added stress would not suit well with her.

It wasn't difficult to continue with daily routines. Though, Cat now forced her to take multi vitamins that would help her and the growing child. Aya was putting off going to see the doctor for a bit, until she was able to grow enough courage to deal with the situation. She promised Cat she would go, whenever her mother stopped trying to figure out where she was at every hour.

The third month passed by a lot quicker than they expected. The new semester was quickly approaching and they were still not allowed to return to their old university.

Lieutenant Anderson gave them a call once to inform them if they wished to return, he would convince their parents it was fine. The conversation did not go too well, and it was one of the pros of not going to Gainesville for Cat and Aya.

Aya checked her clock as she stepped out of the bathroom, the damp air inside following her. She ran her towel through her wet hair, walking around in just her birthday suit since Cat was still not due back home. She had a mental schedule of when to expect her friend back.

She passed her mirror in her room, regarding her profile. It was definitely not the same… she had a bulge to her belly, beginning just under her belly button as if she had recently eaten a large meal. A really large meal. She paused in wringing her hair with her towel, considering her image before passing it on without another thought.

She passed the golden retriever, rubbing him behind the ears as she made her way to her bedroom to find some clean clothes to wear.

Just outside of the parking lot of their apartment, Cat was getting off the bus that dropped her off at the corner.

There was no warning, just like the first time. Aya left her towel in a corner of her room, running a comb now through her semi-dry locks. She was still nude when she turned around and found herself face to face with a tall figure.

Her scream immediately alerted Harper into a defensive mode. Aya's reaction was to strike her fist out as hard as possible on that face before diving towards her discarded towel.

It took a few seconds to wrap it around herself before she actually turned back on the intruder. She hoped the golden retriever had taken a nice chunk out of the man, but the scene suddenly made her think otherwise.

Harper's barking was deep and menacingly, but the man's staff was a good barrier between those large white teeth and his calves. Aya couldn't get the profiled in detail, but the staff and kesa made up for it.

"_Chichiri?_"

A few moments before Aya's sudden realization, Cat was walking past the silent parking lot. She was often paranoid; being alone in the dark and in Miami could do that to a young woman. At any sound she would startle in that direction, her mace armed and ready inside her sweater pocket.

It was fortunate that she did not hear Aya's scream. It was unfortunate for the man that suddenly stepped out behind a large truck, his long strides quickly approaching the girl.

Cat had been wary all along, and the sudden approach of the shadowed figure caused her to move to an instinctual reaction. She pulled her hand out of her pocket and pressed down on the mace.

It wasn't until the man was screaming in agony that she realized her mistake.

"Oh my God!" She dropped her mace, dropping to her knees as Tasuki fell. "I'm so sorry! So sorry! Oh my God, Tasuki!"

"What the hell, woman!" The bandit cursed and screamed, rubbing at his eyes desperately.

Cat grabbed his arm, pulling him to his feet. "Come on!" She dragged him the rest of the way through the parking lot and into the elevator to their apartment door. Thankfully it did not take too long for her to stumble in with the pained seishi.

Aya was just pulling Harper away from Chichiri, taking him into Cat's room and closing the door behind her. She was still wearing the towel, but she didn't seem to care that much. After all, she had one of the seishi in the house.

And the next one wasn't far behind. She turned to see Tasuki's red face, his hand still clutching at his eyes. "Tasuki!" Aya shrieked, staring at the two of them.

"I'm sorry, Aya! I thought… my mace. It was an accident!" Cat stumbled over her words, leading the bandit over to the small girl. She noticed the monk in the living room and froze.

Aya made her way over to the red-head, taking him into the bathroom without considering the uncomfortable situation her friend would be in.

"Cat…" Chichiri began, still flushed red. One cheek was darker than the other where someone had obviously struck him. "I--"

He was cut off by louder screaming and cursing.

Cat snapped out of her trance and threw open the bathroom door. "No! Water only makes it worse! He just has to ride it!" She pulled her friend and the agonized bandit out, leading Tasuki this time to the couch to lie down. "I'm so sorry," she mumbled.

Aya did not leave Tasuki's side. She did not seem to care about her attire, either. Just the fact that he was laying there, on their sofa, in their dimension, made the world feel right again. It could have been perfect if he wasn't in pain.

Cat ran about the apartment. She made sure no one heard any of the screams and made her routinely check up with her parents to tell them she arrived safely and had to go study (they would most likely call the police if they couldn't contact her after she was suppose to get home). She felt the long night ahead and brewed herself some coffee, making extra in case anyone wished to have some as well.

When she got back into the living room, Chichiri had barely moved. He set aside his staff and was sitting down on the floor, his back against the wall and a large mirror placed right next to him. Exhaustion clearly showed itself across his maskless face. He was watching Aya and Tasuki, both of them clutching onto each other's hands as if letting go would separate them again. He looked up when Cat returned cradling her mug.

"How did you guys get here?" Cat cursed herself for those words. It was a sensible thing to say, but not the best thing to say first to the man she loved after three months of being separated. _A nice 'I missed you' would have worked._

Chichiri rubbed his face with his hands. "It wasn't easy, no da."

Those two words clutched at Cat's heart. Her feet moved without her intention, finding her way close to the monk, sitting on the edge of the futon close by to him.

Tasuki's grunt sounded from across the room. "Ya still put it lightly, Chiri. It was hard as hell. If not, we'd have been 'ere long 'go." He squeezed Aya's hand.

Chichiri sighed and nodded. "Alright, fine. It was hard, no da. It took us from the moment you two left until now, na no da."

- - Flashy Backie - -

The entire party watched as Cat was sent towards the mirror, disappearing as soon as she touched the glass like portal entrance. Chichiri was rooted to his spot, unable to comprehend what was happening, but as soon as he snapped out of it Aya and Vereor had also gone through the portal.

"Cat!" The monk cried out as he ran towards the gateway, halting before the now black glass which had only moments before shown the girls' university. In no time Tasuki joined the monk, banging on the mirror.

"Aya!" He yelled as he sent his fist against the portal, but before he could strike it again Chichiri stopped his friend.

"Don't, you might break it!" He said as he stared at the contraption, wondering what to do next. Behind the pair the miko had ceased their chanting, slightly exhausted from their attempt to summon the gods. Taka held Miaka up while Yui grabbed a hold of the Suzaku no miko for support.

"We must go to Taitsukun, she will know what to do." Chichiri finally decided, breaking the silence that had fallen in the room. The others nodded in agreement, all except for Tasuki who continued to stare at the mirror, a solemn look on his face.

"Don't worry, we'll find them." Chichiri promised as he placed a hand on his friends shoulder, attempting a smile.

Without further delay the party gathered around Chichiri and the mirror, huddled together as close as possible as the man focused on his prayer beads. Within the blink of an eye the group found themselves at Mt. Taikyoku.

"Chiri is back, Chiri is back!" The high pitched squeals broke the air, Nyan Nyan was found running towards the group, a large smile pasted on her face. "Oh, but those two weird girls aren't with you, did they finally make it home?" She asked the monk, staring up at him for an answer.

"She, I mean they --" But Chichiri didn't have to elaborate any more on his thoughts, Taitsukun suddenly appeared before the party, a look of deep thought on her old and wrinkled face.

The group was immediately sent to change out of their clothes; baths were taken along with a quick yet filling meal. Tasuki and Chichiri remained silent, the other three stayed out of their way, feeling sympathy but deciding that the men needed their space for the moment.

Later that evening Tasuki and Chichiri held a council with Taitsukun. After an account of what had occurred in the palace of Konan they awaited for Taitsukun to speak. Tasuki stared at the old women, he was more serious than normal, his mind was set on only one thing.

"We can't use this to send you to the girls." Taitsukun stated, shifting her eyes to her former student.

"What the hell do ya mean ya can't! They went through it, why can't ya send us to where they went!" The bandit cried out, he had his fists bawled and strained to keep them at his side.

Taitsukun simply shook her head, she sympathized with the fiery seishi so she did not bite back with a harsh comment. "We do not know where they are, the universe is large and they could be in many a location. Besides that, if we sent you to where we thought they were by means of this you could not come back. So if you were sent to the wrong place you would be stuck there."

At the old womans explanation Tasuki's rage seemed to lessen, instead of the contorted look of anger in his amber eyes the same crushed look he had worn since his Aya had left his side reappeared.

Chichiri glanced at his fellow seishi, his gaze traveling back to Taitsukun who was silent in thought. "Is there nothing you can do then?"

"I do not know, this is not an easy situation, but don't lose hope." And with those words they were dismissed. Nyan Nyan led them to their sleep chambers. Neither Tasuki nor Chichiri said a word, both quickly entering their chambers and glad to be alone.

The next morning dawned slowly in Chichiri's opinion. He sat on the large window sill in his room, staring out at the mountainous landscape. He watched the rising sun, a miserable expression on his worn face. The silence of the early morning filled his room, the first rays of the sun entering as well. It was a gorgeous day that greeted him, but he found no pleasure in it.

"Chiri?" A soft voice called out to him. Chichiri quickly got to his feet, turning to face the person who had called out to him. A surge of happiness filled his being as the image of Cat appeared before him, but the girl soon vanished and all that remained was Nyan Nyan. His disappointment was obvious as he quickly made himself busy with getting his kesa, wrapping it around him.

"Chiri…" Nyan Nyan called out softly, worried over the monk.

"Taitsukun wants to see me, no da?" The man asked before the goddess could continue. Nyan Nyan nodded her head slowly and before she could say any more the man had already passed by her, moving swiftly towards the chambers they had held council in the night before.

Already waiting in the room was Taitsukun along with Suzaku and Seiryuu, the two apparitions of the gods seemed to be discussing something but ceased once the monk entered. Tasuki was the next to file into the room quickly followed by two very groggy miko and Taka.

"We have been discussing the situation," Taitsukun finally said, her eyes looking over all those present. "It won't be easy but I believe there may be a way to find the emissaries."

Tasuki and Chichiri stirred slightly in their spots, both men obviously pleased with the announcement.

"Since the miko began the incantation just before the emissaries were sent to their own dimension the bond we share with them was greatly increased." Suzaku's soft yet commanding words filled the room. Miaka and Yui exchanged quick glances before returning their attention to the Southern god. "We may be able to locate them by this means, the divine auras which they emit that is."

"This is all just in theory; Taitsukun will need to find a way to execute this. It may take a very long time before we are actually able to send you." Seiryuu's deeper voice stated as he sent a finger to point towards Chichiri and Tasuki.

"Why don't ya just bring the girls back here?" Tasuki asked, frowning at the dragon god.

"Because," And here Seiryuu sounded slightly annoyed. "We don't even know if they want to return."

Taitsukun shook her head, her old face wrinkled in thought. "Now now, that's not the only reason Seiyruu." With a disapproving frown she moved towards the party. "We can't just leave Vereor in their world; we must try and bring him back here so that we can defeat him once and for all." She waved a hand towards the miko and Taka. "You should return to your own world, this may take a very long time and I know you are eager to return to your lives."

Suzaku nodded his head, his eyes resting on his miko. "We will call you once you once they return with the emissaries."

"This is what has been decided, I'm sure this is what will provide the best results for everyone." Taitsukun stated. And with that the discussion finished as abruptly as it had begun.

Chichiri remained by Taitsukun's side, he spent most of the days mediating, trying to focus on Cat and Aya's chi. It was not often that the monk spoke, he only did so when the old women would give him updates on their search and attempts on working out the details of sending the Seishi to the other world.

Tasuki on the other hand had returned to the stronghold, his men were exhilarated to see the fiery bandit, Kouji most of all. They held a feast in his honor on the night of his arrival; everyone drank heavily and had a good time except for Genrou. He sat in his usual spot, flanked by his most trusted men, his sake untouched before him.

Later that evening Kouji lead Genrou to his room, opening the door for him he walked inside. "We made sure to clean it up, you know, the girls having slept here and all..." He trailed off as he saw the look on his friends face fall even more.

Tasuki was instantly reminded of the first days that Aya had been with him, her many attempts to sneak into his bed. Letting out a sigh the seishi took off his coat, dropping it on the nearest chair. "Thanks Kouji, it looks," Giving the room a quick glance the bandit returned his eyes to his scarred friend. "Great, jus' great."

"What happened between you two?" The blue haired man asked as he took a seat next to his friend, even if he wasn't invited. "You're different." Shaking his head slowly the man rubbed the temples of his forehead. "She finally got to you, didn't she?"

Tasuki didn't answer immediately; he simply shifted in his spot. "Ya don't know what yer sayin'." He gruffly stated as he began to take off his boots.

"You can't fool me, Genrou." Kouji stated as he waggled a finger at the man seated next to him. Giving him another good look his face gained a rather large smile. "No, no, this cant' be true." The grin grew larger with every moment that passed. Slapping his friend on the shoulder he let out a laugh. "You fell in love with a woman, I knew you would and I can't believe she's that one that snagged you too!"

"Alrig', it's true!" Tasuki whined, his head falling into his hands. "I love her, and now she's gone."

Kouji ceased his taunting, taking in a deep breath before he spoke again, his voice much more composed now. "Genrou, you'll see her again," He placed a firm hand on his friends shoulder, giving a strong shake. "Pull yourself together; you've got to be the man in this situation. It's up to you to find her and you can't do that if you're sobbing."

Tasuki let his hands fall from his face, looking up at Kouji and giving a slow nod. "Yer right." But that was all that he had the heart to say. His friend knew this as well and left the man shortly after.

Time passed very slowly for those three months. Chichiri and Tasuki felt like it had stopped since Taitsukun's attempts to locate the girls and perfect the means of transporting them never seemed to advance.

Chichiri continued to dwell over the last things he had said to the woman he loved. He slept very little, even by his standards. He just continued to reply the scene in his head, how he had broken her heart yet again. He couldn't stand seeing her cry, but his mind forced him to see it every night as if to remind him of his mistakes.

Wonderful news awaited the bandit and monk, Taitsukun had finally managed to locate the girls and was sure that she could send the pair to them. Tasuki and Chichiri found themselves before the god's apparition and the old women once more. The mirror that Vereor had used to enter the girls realm was also present.

"We are going to send you to them now," Taitsukun began, taking in a deep breath before continuing. "Chichiri, you need to take this mirror with you, this is the only way you will be able to get back to this world. You must send Vereor back first and then the rest of you will follow so that you can defeat him here." Waving a hand towards Seiryuu and Suzaku she nodded. "We are all counting on you."

The men stood firmly in their spots, Chichiri holding onto the mirror tightly. They both had felt that this moment would never come and now that it had they were ready. It all happened in the blink of an eye, one moment they were watching Taitsukun and the gods begin an incantation of sorts and the next they found themselves in unfamiliar surroundings.

- - End of Flashy Backie - -

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We see the end! No, really, we do! It just keeps getting pushed more and more back by how much we write in between. - We're tried to work something out, but we're not definite on the amount of chapters left... So just read and review for now!

Oh, and as for one recent question that came up. Someone wondered why Chichiri was mean to Cat... It's a self-preservation technique of his... He's still guilty over Kouran and refuses to love another... But Cat's a good girl, she has broken that poor man's shell!


	21. Chapter 20

**Cat: **Woooooah snap, you don't update in 3 months and people start to get antsy :P Well we had our reasons... mostly me really. My computer caught a virus or something like that and everything crashed

**Aya:** And of course, lazy me, Cat is the only one with all our writings.

**Cat: **Lazy Aya. I was without this rotten piece of technology for a good few weeks until roomi # 3's boyfriend fixed and ( Thank God ) retrieved this lovely chappie ; Then there was the editing and trying to change my major...

**Aya:** Don't forget moving apartments... that took up quite some time. Mm hmm... a whole weekend!

**Cat:** And then work, getting drunk, all that jazz. Anyways' here it is, the much awaited chapter 20... In this one the gang all takes a trip to NYC where they join the smash hit "The Producers" on Broadway :D I'm Ula (of course) and my chiri baby is Leo. Er, Tasuki can be Max and Aya... one of the old ladies

**Aya:** _OLD_:Slap: And Kristall, I now ask that you partake in Cat's icecream and all her junk food for being the 100th review! You were quite right that it would help, seeing it inspired us, except we were still chapter-less because of Cat's technological problem

**Disclaimer:** Yo! We don't own FY... or Steak and Ale or FIU or anything! XD

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**CHAPTER 20**

"And that's how we came here, na no da." Chichiri finished, taking in a deep breath as he ended the retelling of the events.

Cat nodded as the story came to its end, the mug of coffee still cradled in her hands as she stared at the wall. Aya was still clutching to Tasuki in her towel, the two hadn't separated since the Seishi had arrived. The room was silent. The only audible noise came from Cat's room where Harper had begun to whine due to his isolation.

"Well, it's late." Cat began slowly, frowning as she got to her feet. She left her mug on the kitchen table, not bothering to wash it. "I've got a test tomorrow morning and work afterwards," She tapped the table lightly, her mind trying to think of something. "Well, I guess you two will be staying together so that leaves the sofa open."

At the mention of the sleeping arrangements Cat made eye contact with the monk seishi. "I'll bring you some pillows and a blanket." And without another word she grabbed up her bag and made straight for her room, closing the door behind her so that the anxious golden retriever could not find his way out.

As soon as the door closed Aya and Tasuki both turned to look at Chichiri. They held looks of something that seemed to be pity, but Aya's was more bordering on anger. The older man finally got to his feet, feeling uncomfortable since he was being stared at. He walked towards the kitchen where he was out of sight there.

"So, are ya gonna stay in that towel all night?" Tasuki asked, a smirk on his now less contorted face. The effects of the mace had all but worn off, the tale having taken some time to recount.

"What are you thinking about, hentai?" Aya drawled out as she sent a hand to brush back some of the bandit's fiery locks. She had been missing him so much for the past few months and now that he was back all she wanted was to be in his arms. She completely forgot about Vereor and even the pregnancy test.

"Well, I think we'd better leave Chiri to his sofa," Tasuki gently grabbed Aya's hand giving it a slight kiss before he got to his feet, leading the girl up as well. "Let's go to bed."

Aya gave a quick nod, leading her man by the hand to her room. The pair quickly vanished behind the door, leaving Chichiri alone in the living room.

Cat finally emerged from her room, nearly throwing the sheets and pillows onto the couch before sprinting back. Chichiri barely caught the sound of her approach and by the time he managed to enter the living room she had already gone back into her room.

He let out a heavy sigh, sitting on the sofa with his head cradled in his hands. He awaited the next opportunity to talk to the girl, hoping she would leave her room for a late night snack, but as time went by there was no sign of that ever happening.

Cat found herself seated at her desk in her pj's, her textbooks sprawled out before her along with numerous loose leaf papers and pencils. Harper lay next to her, facing the door. Cat sent a hand to scratch the dog every once in a while, glancing at the door as well.

_Wow, it's nearly one… I'd better go to sleep._

She mentally told herself, looking from her alarm clock to her empty bed. She finally closed her books, turning off the desk lamp and getting out of the chair. She let her hair down from the restricting bun she had it in, quickly selecting her work outfit for the next day. She was just about to plop into bed when she heard her door opening, Harpers growling alerting her as well.

Cat remained silent, simply restraining her dog as Chichiri peeked inside. "Can I come in?" At the girls huff he added quickly. "Please?"

"Fine." Cat said as she moved her dog away from the door, scowling as she forced him into the closet. She quickly sent a hand to brush back the locks that the struggle had caused to fly in her face. "What do you want?" She asked, placing her hands on her hips as soon as she finished her task. She stared coolly at the man, waiting for his retreat.

But Chichiri did not leave, he had wanted to for a moment, sensing the intense mental death threats the girl was sending out, but he refused to let another night pass by with apologizing. "I need to tell you something."

"Well, since there aren't any rivers around I guess its okay." Cat said bitterly before she could stop herself. As soon as the words left her mouth she regretted them, but she would not take them back.

"I'm sorry, about everything I've done and said that has hurt you." His voice was soft but it still retained great power. He kept his gaze on Cat, making sure that she heard what he was saying.

"You were right, I have been living in the past, I didn't see what was right in front of me." He made his way towards her, coming to stand right in front of her. When she turned her face away from him he gently placed his hand on her cheek, moving her back to face him.

Cat shook her head, the tears she had been trying to hold down becoming more difficult to control. She had always been easy to cry, especially when it came to emotional situations. "I," She bit her lower lip, her eyes scanning the man's face. She pushed him back, a few tears escaping and making their way down her cheeks.

"I just can't believe you anymore! You say these things and yet," Her hands were bawled up besides her as she tried to search for the right words to say, she wanted to hurt him, make him feel her pain. "You can't move forward, you'll never be able to! I can't live like this, fearing that you'll toss me aside if you discover something about me you don't like."

Chichiri gulped down the lump that had formed in his throat as he listened to the girl's shouting. Every accusation struck a deeper blow.

"Just stay away from me; you came to get Vereor, right?" Cat finally looked at the man again, shaking slightly. "Once he's gone you'll leave and I'm staying here, where I belong!" Her voice quivered as well, the intense emotions she was feeling not allowing her to keep the composer she so loved to posses.

"I can't stay away! I love you!" Chichiri cried out, he closed the gap between them, his hands grasping onto the girls arms. "I can't go on without you…"

Silence fell on the small room. Both Cat and Chichiri were breathing heavily, all the emotions and yelling having tired them out considerably. Cat felt flush and when her eyes became locked with the man her condition did not improve.

Without warning she shoved him away again, collapsing on her bed. She remained seated, trying to calm her nerves, she refused to met the mans gaze. "Just leave." She whispered, trying to convince not only Chichiri but herself that this is what she truly wanted.

But Chichiri was not easily fooled, and he was not ready to give up. He instead took a seat next to the girl and wrapped his arms around her. "I'll never hurt you again." He promised her.

Cat weakly tried to wiggle away from the man, but she found herself too exhausted and comfortable to succeed. She simply gave in, the barrier she had been perfecting for the past three months dissolving in the span of a few minutes. Chichiri's hold on her loosened once she stopped struggling, she took the opportunity to nestle her head on his chest.

"You promise?" She asked softly, peace returning to her only recently tumultuous mind. She didn't need an answer, just the sound of his heart beating and the warmth of his body were enough to reassure her but she soon found her face tilted up, the man's warm and soft lips placed upon her own. She had never felt as she did now, the kiss that had been stolen by Vereor, her first, was nothing like what she felt now.

Her heart raced and her face blushed and as soon as they parted she drew a breath, her eyes sparkling slightly as she gazed back at the man she loved. "I'll forgive you on one condition." She proclaimed as soon as her voice returned to her.

Chichiri seemed slightly puzzled at her statement, waiting for her to ask him the condition.

"You'll let your hair grow out?" She asked as she softly twirled his pony tail between her fingers, her trademark smile in place once more.

Chichiri gave a slight laugh, nodding his head. "I promise."

A blaring alarm resounded in Cat's small room. She hesitantly opened her eyes, rubbing at them before she gave the clock a glance.

_I must have hit the snooze button; I missed my first class…_

The girl mentally scolded herself as she sat up; she remained still for a while, trying to coax her body into standing up. Before she could move any further though a pair of arms wrapped themselves around her shoulders, bringing her to fall softly in Chichiri's embrace.

"Where are you going, no da?" He asked as he nuzzled the girl's neck, not wanting her to leave his side.

"I have class in an hour," Cat told the man, fighting the urge to burst into a bout of giggles due to the tickling sensation. "I've got a test so I can't skip." She added, her voice clearly showing her disappointment. She snuggled closer to the monk, her own arms moving to embrace him.

"I thought you said you had to go?" Chichiri asked in a puzzled voice. He had ceased the caresses and was now watching her.

"I've still got some time, no need to hurry." She said, letting out a long and content sigh as she closed her eyes again, taking in the moment. The couple continued to embrace until Harper's whining caused them both to get up. Cat moved towards the closet where the animal was still contained, cursing him for killing the mood as she let him out.

"Now listen," She started as she waggled a finger at the golden retriever. "Chichiri is a friend, _friend_." Cat said in a commanding yet soft voice. "So don't be mean to him while I'm gone, kay?" As she finished her command she gave the dog a kiss on the muzzle, turning back to Chichiri who was busy putting on his shirt.

"Oh, that reminds me, we've gotta go shopping today. Can't have you running around in that." She said with a nod of her head, making the plans certain in her mind. She didn't say another word, running about the house as she made her breakfast, fed the dog, got dressed, gathered her books and brushed her teeth.

Before Chichiri could ask or say anything she was already heading out the door. "Aya will be up," Casting the girls room a glance a smirk came across her lips. "Eventually. There's plenty of food in the house so please make yourself at home. I should be back in a few hours so I won't be gone too long."

She turned to head out the door her hand reaching for the door knob to close it when she spun back around quickly. She leaned up on her feet, reaching to give the man a quick peck on the cheek. "I'll see ya later." She said with a smile, the monk providing his own as he watched her close the door.

Aya awoke not too long after Cat had departed for school. She lay in bed for a moment, staring at the ceiling as she thought of her current situation. Besides her lay Tasuki, he was sound asleep. Aya moved out of the bed as softly and quietly as possible, hoping not to disturb the slumbering bandit.

She then got ready for the day, feeding the Siamese which had been lying next to her for a portion of the night. After she finished feeding the cat she left the room, closing the door behind her. When she turned back around she found Chichiri sitting at the kitchen table, a content smile on his face as he stared off.

"Morning," Aya called out slowly, a yawn escaping her mouth. She moved towards the monk, pulling out a seat and plopping down in it. "Did you sleep well?" She asked with a sinister smirk on her face. She had noticed the unused blankets and pillows on the sofa; clearly the man had spent the night somewhere else.

Chichiri blushed slightly, his eye moving away from the girl. "Yes no da." He replied as he took a sip of the water he had been drinking.

"Good, you're going to need lots of energy for today." Aya brushed back a few stray locks of hair. "We've got clothes shopping to do."

The pair conversed over breakfast, cereal and orange juice. Chichiri was slightly wary of the meal at first, not used to it. He soon realized how hungry he was though and finished it off, happy that the girl had served him the food. Tasuki awoke not too long after they had finished eating, the dogs barking at some distant noise having awoken him.

"Damn animal," Tasuki huffed as he made his way to where Aya had placed a bowl of fruit and toast for him. Harper growled fiercely, backing away from the man as he made his way past him. "That one kept me up too." He said as he pointed a finger at a terrified Snickers, the dogs barking and growling having upset the older animal.

"That's Snickers for you, I'm sure you'll get used to it." Aya stated as she took her multivitamins. She looked slightly embarrassed as she did, though neither man would have any ways of know the significance of her doing so.

Later that afternoon Cat nearly tripped running up the stairs to her apartment. Once she reached the front door she quickly stuck her key in, opening the door quickly and peeking inside. Once she spotted Aya and the boys she quickly entered, shutting the door behind her.

"Hide! My brother is coming!" Cat announced as she dropped her bag, grabbing Chichiri and Tasuki by the arms, leading them to Aya's room and instinctively shoving them inside and closing the door behind her.

Turning to Aya she took a breath, the feat of running from the bus to her flat obviously not what she was used to. "He's brining us lunch, wants to hang out for a while."

Aya nodded as she stood still, not entirely sure of what to do. The girls didn't have another moment to converse; the sound of the door being opened alerted them that Cat's older brother had just entered.

"Hey Aya," Aaron said as he closed the door behind him, he had two large brown bags of Chinese takeout in his arms which he promptly set down on the dining room table. Harper wagged his tail as he sat down at the table. "I hope Chinese is fine, I got you some honey garlic chicken." He offered as he looked at his younger sister.

"Oh, that's great, thanks!" Cat said quickly running to the kitchen to get plates and utensils.

"There's plenty for you too Aya." Aaron stated as he smiled at the other girl. Aya only nodded, taking a seat.

Once Cat brought the plates and what nots the trio set to eating. At first the girls were terrified but as time went by and no accusations were made they lightened up. Soon Cat and Aya were telling the man stories about their week, laughing at jokes and having a merry time in general.

Chichiri had made himself comfortable on Aya's bed, waiting for Cat's brother to leave. Tasuki on the other hand was next to the door, listening in on what they were talking about. "Wonder how old he is." He mumbled, wishing he could open the door to get a peak at the man.

"Twenty-two." Chichiri provided from his spot. "I wonder if he visits to check up on them, no da." The two Seishi fell silent after this, hoping that the visitor would soon depart so that they could be let out of the dark room.

Just when the girls began to clear the table disaster struck. Aaron had been leaning back against his chair, satisfied with the large meal, and just giving the apartment a look around. The half eaten bowls which Aya had served the boys and herself in still remained on the table.

The man frowned as he took this in, turning to his sister who was just about to tell him she had to go to work. "Why are there three bowls?" He asked, pointing to the dishes. Both Aya and Cat were speechless, each horrified girl staring back at the man as if they had just witnessed him grow horns.

"What do you mean?" Cat asked, unable to produce an excuse.

"There are only two of you," Aaron stated, pointing at each girl in turn. "So why is there an extra bowl?" His finger was now pointing in the general direction of the dinner ware.

Cat stood perfectly still, her face growing red and her eyes starting to glisten. Her mind was playing out a scene of her brother discovering Tasuki and Chichiri and the chaos that would certainly follow the discovery.

Aya was just as terrified, but she was quicker to react. "I was really hungry this morning so I served myself two bowls. I started jogging in the mornings so I need the energy." Aya blurted out the excuse so quickly and loudly that the uncomfortable silence that followed made her wish she had not said anything at all.

Aaron seemed satisfied for a moment with the excuse until he saw the blankets and pillows on the couch. "What the hell is going on here?" He asked accusingly, raising the pillow up and shaking it in the direction of his little sister.

Cat cursed herself for not having put away the incriminating evidence. But her anger at herself soon turned towards her brother for being so sharp. "Look, we don't have to explain ourselves to you! If we've got an extra bowl or blankets out what does it matter? No one comes here, we don't have boyfriends, so quit harassing us!"

Cat's ranting didn't stop her brother from going to her room and investigating, he opened the closet door and seemed to want to check Aya's room next but Cat quickly began to shove him out.

"Thank you for the food but now because of your little investigation I'm going to be late for work," Cat said as she lead the man towards the door. "I'll see you tomorrow!" And without letting Aaron have another word she closed the door in his face, nearly collapsing as soon as she had.

The girls took a few moments before they had composed themselves enough to let the confused Seishi out of Aya's room. After Cat called in sick for work, and Aya had gone downstairs to check if Cat's brother was still lurking around somewhere, they all piled into Aya's car.

The Seishi had been very wary of the vehicle at first, entering very slowly. Tasuki sat next to Aya in the front while Cat and Chiri sat in the back. "Seat belts!" Cat called out, buckling Chichiri while Aya did the same.

They had dressed down the boys as much as possible. Chichiri was missing his kesa, kasa, prayer beads and at the begging of Cat his staff. Tasuki was minus his coat, gaudy jewelry and tessen.

Aya gave the two Seishi a good look over before turning on her car. "Good enough, at least they're not walking around with weapons.

In the back Cat nodded in agreement. "Let's go to the mall, there are plenty of stores there."

With their destination set Aya drove out of the parking lot. The men had been fine, but as soon as they set out on the city roads and hit 40 miles Tasuki began to grow anxious. "Slow down, womin!" He said, his voice boarding on hysterical tone.

"Daaa." Chichiri called out from the back, clutching onto the seat.

"Hey, I'm only doing 40! I've gotta keep up with traffic, ya know?" Aya said, trying to slow down a little but realizing there was no way if she wanted to make it to the stores before they closed.

"Don't worry, cars are really safe. They've got airbags and this one has good brakes." Cat tried to reassure the boys, holding one of Chichiri's hands. "Plus Aya's a good driver." She added, smiling at the monk.

Chichiri averted her gaze, slightly embarrassed at his fear of what she seemed to find so normal. Tasuki had also calmed down considerably, looking out of the window and taking in the new and odd scenery. They had only been in a different world once and that had not been for long. They had certainly not had time to take in the sights either.

"It's really," He moved his amber eyes from building to building and then to all the people scurrying about. "Big."

"It's a big city, totally different to what you're used to." Aya said, her eyes on the road but sparing Tasuki a glance now and then. She couldn't help but smile at the sight of the fiery Seishi's expression; it was much like that of a child at Disney world for the first time.

The conversation continued in the car, the girls told the boys a few things about Miami and how life worked in their world. The boys tried to take the information in but since it was too much they simply just nodded and stared out the window. Before long they had reached their destination, filing out of the car and entering the crowded mall.

Shopping was a rushed and very hectic experience for the Seishi. They were taken from store to store, shoved into dressing rooms with arm-full of clothes and then cross examined by the girls with their new outfits. Neither of the boys were sad to hear that the store was closing, thankful that the experience was over.

Their dinner choice was easy: Steak and Ale. It was Aya's favorite place and they served large enough portions to satisfy everyone. It was as close to American cuisine as they could think of that would satisfy their men and themselves. It was four orders of prime rib that night, with Aya's being the largest.

"It isn't on the menu," Cat growled at her as the waiter looked at them, confused.

Aya shook her hand. "Nonsense! I had it all the time back in the old days. It's an extra dollar per ounce. Thirty ounces, the salad bar, and roasted potatoes, please. And leave a menu for dessert."

Chichiri leaned into Cat, sitting next to him, and whispered. "Is that a lot, na no da?"

Her wide eyes answered for him. But it was her turn to order, and the eight-ounce prime rib was enough for her with a side dish of mashed potatoes.

"And the two guys will have the sixteen-ounce, with a baked potato with everything on it. No sour cream for him," Aya said as she pointed to Tasuki.

The waiter left with the large order and they separately got up to get a salad. Cat and Chichiri left first, leaving Aya and Tasuki alone for a few minutes.

"Ya sure yer not gonna get sick eatin' so much?" Tasuki looked at her with concern. "Ya do look a lot thinner. Haven't been eatin' good?"

Aya flushed and looked at her napkin. "No, I have… it's just I'm really hungry tonight. And I don't look thin at all." She gave him a playful swat, gasping when he caught her hand with his own. She looked up into his amber eyes. "I missed you a lot… but somehow I knew I was going to see you again."

"'Course. I don't give up so easily, Aya. V's gonna pay for that little stunt he tried to pull with ya. Chiri was boiling over… he wasted no time in goin' back to Taiitsukun's."

Aya chuckled at the image of an enraged monk. "The way things are going, I'm sure he'll be making up for his lost time." Her eyes shifted away a moment as she glanced towards the salad bar where the other couple was finishing up. Cat was helping Chichiri decide on a dressing. "There's so much I want to show you here… but there's not enough time, is there?"

Tasuki took his drink, staring suspiciously at the carbonated content. "Well, 'till V shows his ugly face. Ya showed us a lot today. Noisy, crowded, an' the whole place stinks." He winced at his words, but realized Aya did not disagree.

"You're right… Guess we'll have plenty of time until that coward comes back to bother us." She grinned up at him. "And after that…"

Tasuki leaned forward. "Ya comin' back with me." He made it obvious there was no question to it, but his face still held the hope that she would agree with him.

Cat and Chiri appeared before they could continue, their plates piled with a variety of greens. Cat beamed at the two, then gave her friend a piercing look. "Had a good chat?"

"You sure you're going to have enough room for the meat?" Aya ignored her, taking Tasuki's arm and dragging him up with her as she pushed him out of the booth. "Let's get ours. I'm _starved_."

The conversation did not continue. Aya had enough trouble explaining the greens Tasuki was unfamiliar with and then the dressings. Cat and Chichiri began to dig into their meals.

Cat stabbed one of her tomatoes, dipping it into her ranch and then holding it out for the monk. "Try this one. I bet you'll like it." She grinned up at his face.

Chichiri was startled at the sudden tomato in front of him. "D-daa?" he questioned, which he knew would make Cat grin broadly. He took the fork, slowly examining the food before eating it. The savor was definitely odd to him, but it was enjoyable with the fruit.

When the group settled back, their topics strayed into a much lighter area. Cat and Aya explained what they were doing at school and what their favorite class they had taken so far was. It was difficult to explain their situation between schools, especially without bringing up "the separation" but they successfully avoided it.

"We really have to find some things to do here in Miami in the meantime. I mean, I know we're looking for him… but we know it's not going to be easy," Cat said.

Chichiri shrugged, looking between the girls. "Well," and his voice suggested he was entering a topic they wouldn't want to stay in long. "I'll be scouring for Vereor's energy signal when I meditate, no da. It might not be too long."

There was a brief silence before the girls nodded and continued with their food and chat.

Remarkably, Aya ate most of her food. She left some potatoes and never went back for a second serving of salad like she planned to, though. They left the restaurant satiated and were all quiet on the short ride home.

Aya did not park, and Cat took the signal to get out of the car with Chichiri. "I'm too tired to go anywhere else," Cat said as an excuse. She waved to the two in front. "We'll just hang around the apartment and wait for you guys. Don't go too far since it's getting late."

Tasuki looked out the window at them, clutching at the door frame. "We're not gettin' out of this abomination yet?" He looked back to the driver.

Aya kept her eyes on the road as she pulled out. "I wanted to take you one more place. It's not far, I promise. And I won't go fast." She grinned at him as he leaned back and pretended not to be disturbed by the automobile.

* * *

Cat and Chiri soon found themselves in the apartment, Harpers barking greeting the couple. The dog was still wary of the monk, never having been fond of strangers and especially men. The large golden retriever looked menacing with his teeth barred as he growled at the man. 

"Harper!" Cat said as she gave him a swat on the head, the dog instantly ceasing and gaining a look of embarrassment. "You have to be a nice to him, I already told you he's a good boy." She said, smiling at the title she had imposed on Chichiri.

When the dog began to wag his tail slightly Cat took this as a sign that he would behave. She moved off to drop her bag and shed her light sweater on the kitchen table. She quickly spun around, a large grin pasted on her face as she observed Chichiri who was trying to move past the dog. He stopped in his tracks, his head titled as he watched her, puzzled. "What is it?"

"I've gotta tell you something." The girl said, grabbing the man's arm and leading him to her room. Once she had closed the door and taken off her shoes she faced the man again. "It's about Aya." Chichiri, who had already taken a seat on the bed, watched the girl curiously. "What about her, no da?"

"Well, she's," Cat plopped down next to the Seishi. "She's going to," She looked back at the monk, still smiling. "She's pregnant."

"D-daa?" The monk asked, completely taken aback by the revelation. He had stared straight in front of him, imagining what Tasuki would say if he knew that Aya was carrying his unborn child.

"She's going to tell him tonight, that's why she left with him." Cat let out a sigh, happy beyond belief for her friend. "I just can't believe she's going to have a baby in six months."

"Six months? She's already that far along, no da?" Chichiri asked the girl as he took off his own shoes and tunic, leaving his undershirt on.

Cat simply nodded her head, leaning back on to the bed. "Yah, I can't believe it either." She stared up at the ceiling, wondering what Aya was feeling at the moment.

"They're going to have their hands full with a baby, no da." Chichiri stated as he too leaned back, coming to lie next to Cat. A moment of silent passed between the two, though it was a comfortable one. Chichiri looked over at Cat, his features softening as he took in her own. "Do you like children, no da?" He asked, turning over on his side slightly to better face the girl.

"I love kids." Cat said quickly, her brown eyes still on the ceiling. "They're so adorable." She would have continued her praise of infants if she had not felt that she was being watched. She caught Chichiri's examining her in the corner of her eyes, turning on her side as well in order to better view the man. "What's with that look?" She asked cautiously, frowning slightly as she waited for an answer.

"It's nothing, no da." Chichiri gave a soft smile, a hand coming to push away Cat's usual strand of stray hair from her face.

Cat felt her face turn red at the touch of the man's hand; she was still not used to the physical contact which had until a few days ago never existed. Cat wished that the moment would never end, both of them adoringly watching the other, love filling the small room.

Cat boldly moved into the man's arm's, snuggling into his embrace. She gave him a kiss on the cheek before resting her head on his chest. "I love you so much." She mumbled as she listened to his heart beat, feeling warm and comfortable.

"I wish you could stay here, but I know you wouldn't be happy." Cat's words broke the comfortable silence, Chichiri shifted slightly at the statement. "I'm happy wherever you are." He said, moving so that he could see the girls face.

"I know, but it wouldn't be fair to keep you here, I mean," She took in a deep breath, collecting her thoughts. "I don't know if you would even consider staying here, since you brought the mirror with you and all, I guess it's the only path to take." She sounded slightly depressed as she admitted her worst fears.

"You don't want to come back?" Chiri asked, watching the girl intently.

"I want to be with you but I want to stay with my family too." As Cat's words faded the sound of the upstairs neighbors moving about the apartment filtered in. Fearing that she had upset Chiri she continued on. "But I will go with you, it's just, can't you take your time finding Vereor?" She meekly posed the question, hoping she didn't' come out as demanding or uncaring of anyone but herself.

Chichiri didn't respond vocally a first, stroking the girl's hair softly as reassurance. "Just for a little." He said finally, looking down to find that the girl accepted the terms, settling back into his embrace.

* * *

The ride was a lot shorter. Aya pulled into a parking lot and got out. She followed a path she was familiar with, keeping close to Tasuki. 

The seishi continued to look around them and their quiet surroundings, noticing the lights of the buildings were off. "Should've brought my tessen. Aya, this isn't safe at all." He grumbled low, keeping his paranoid eyes out into the shadows.

"Not much happens on campus. Don't worry too much." She led him towards a pond she frequented often between classes. There was a gazebo overlooking the water, and she was obviously leading him in that direction.

Tasuki was growing just a bit restless in his unfamiliar surroundings. Especially with Aya next to him, he felt vulnerable without a weapon. He finally realized they had entered the gazebo, and was led to a bench. He looked out, frowning towards the large buildings.

"So ya come 'ere to study. Does anyone live here?"

Aya shrugged her shoulders. "They have dorms… somewhere. Not sure where those students stay. I'd never be able to live that way."

They elapsed into a comfortable silence. Tasuki took Aya's hand, running his thumb over her fingers as he stared off. She felt as if he were looking for some words. "Aya," he finally breathed out softly. "Are ya gonna stay here… to continue yer studies?"

Aya watched his face as she replied, "I want to go where ever you are… and I don't think you'd fit in too well in my world." She noticed the relief fall away from him when he turned to her. "But afterwards… You know, after Vereor and all, what are we going to do?"

"We? Obviously we'll be together!" Tasuki's fangs poked out in his grin. "We can spend some time with Kouji an' the others…" That phrase made Aya's smile drop a moment, and he tried again. "But eventually I'll build a place for us, ya know. Kouji wouldn't mind taking care of the stronghold an' the bandits."

Aya nodded her head. "Yah, a place for us..." her voice trailed off.

Tasuki could be dense, but it wasn't difficult to pick up on her mood. "Aya, ya alright?" He reached out for her other hand, clutching tightly. "There'll be an us, right?"

Aya, startled, looked up. "Of course!" Tasuki still did not look pleased. "I just… was wondering. I mean, I don't know what you want. As far as a family… a whole family, I mean.." she tried to get one hand free to emphasize, but he seemed to understand. Or he just didn't want to let go.

"There'll be kids, 'course," Tasuki said eventually. "If ya want ta have 'em, that is. I.." He faltered.

Aya bit down hard on her lip, not meeting his eyes. "I do… I really do, Tasuki. As long as you want them, too."

"Every house needs a kid or two causing a mess sooner or later. We'll definitely have our hands full with a little Aya sneaking into neighbor's houses."

Aya did not laugh like he thought she would. Instead, she continued to fidget under his gaze. Finally, she met his amber eyes, saying softly. "Is sooner better? Like, real soon?"

Tasuki stopped rubbing her hands with his own and stared. He let the silence elapse, and for a moment Aya thought he was terrified of the situation. "How soon would ya like?" He finally said, blinking in complete innocence.

Aya's answer was muttered and she looked away. Suddenly one of her hands was released and the seishi had gently gripped her chin to look at him again.

"How soon?" Tasuki repeated.

"I'm already pregnant, Tasuki," Aya stated clearly. His hand dropped from her chin. "Three months. I can't give you the exact date, but I'm three months pregnant." Once she said it, it was kind of easier to get out. She bit her lip again, feeling her eyes already well up at his silence.

"Pregnant." Tasuki repeated slowly. Aya was seconds away from slapping that look from his face. To her it felt as if someone just randomly said "Ah, pregnant, I see" in a very nonchalant way. Tasuki caught her hand with little effort. "Pregnant," he repeated, with a widening grin. He stood up, pulling her up with him and then hugging her. "Yer pregnant!" He pulled her to arm's length. "An' ya waited this long ta tell me?"

Aya blushed, trying to look away from his face once again. It was no use, she was facing him directly now. "Well, I wanted a good moment. Tasuki, it was really hard for me… I found out a bit ago, and without you…" she tried to hold back the tears, but it was useless.

Tasuki hugged her again, chuckling deeply. "It's okay, Aya. I'm sorry, but it'll all be good. I'll never leave ya again. You or our kid or… Our kid!" He was excited to Aya's ears, which made her feel a lot better. He lessened his hold on her, but kept her close. He looked down at the short girl, one of his hands coming to rest on her slightly rounded belly. "'m going ta be a father," he said, beaming.

"And 'm goin' ta have ta get used to a fat Aya, now." This time, Tasuki forgot to catch Aya's incoming hand.

The night extended for the couple awhile longer; they remained in the gazebo. Tasuki's enthusiasm brought Aya's mood back up. Before they had arrived in their lives again, she repressed her thoughts on the baby and only thought enough to eat healthy and take vitamins. Besides that, she tried not to think of the fact that she was carrying the child of the man she loved whom was in a complete other dimension.

Now being with that man once again, and having him excited, she felt satisfied. Tasuki was calmer on the ride home, not releasing her hand at all. When they walked through the door, the lights alerted them that the others were still up.

Cat stuck her head out of her room, wide-eyed and curious. It didn't take long to decipher Tasuki's toothly grin. "You told him!" She squealed, jumping into the living room and hugging her friend. "I'm so happy for you both."

"I was hoping we'd be free of Tasuki's children for awhile longer, na no da," Chichiri teased as he came behind the darker girl.

Tasuki gave Aya a one-armed hug. "Ya should be scared of Aya's half as well, Chiri." He did not move away from his woman's playful swat.

Chichiri shook his head slowly, but smiled nonetheless at their antics. "Congratulations, na no da."

Cat pulled Aya away from her man, chattering away about plans now that everything was settled. "You will need a new wardrobe, because you won't fit into your small clothes with that belly!"

Aya scrunched up her nose. "It is obvious already, isn't it? I mean, when you're looking for it…" She rested a hand on her stomach. "This is just going to get worse," she whined.

Tasuki came in to swoop her up. "Worse? How can ya say that. I think ya'll look cute chubby."

"Let me go!" Aya cried, giving her legs a few weak kicks. It was hopeless.

The bandit looked over his shoulder as he headed towards their bedroom. "G'night ya two. Don' stay up too late." He grinned as he took Aya into the room. As the door closed, they heard his voice speak to her. "Ya need yer rest for the babe!"

* * *

**Cat:** I do hope everyone's happy now :P Now lets see how long it takes us to make the next chappie... Don't hold your breaths  



	22. Author's Note

Hey everyone, Cat here! Wow, it's been a while since we've updated with anything... Well, just wanted to let y'all know that the fic is still active, Aya and I actually talk about it a lot. So why the delay? Well, we've fallen into a rut : It's been four years since started this baby and well, things change... But don't lose hope, as we speak we are currently brainstorming the rest of the fic and the next chapter should be up in no time :D (give us a month or so :) So stay tuned for more delicious FY drama!

On another note we've started work on another fic. We noticed that part of the reason why we lost interest in Colliding Worlds is that well, we aren't freshman anymore : We've changed a lot, especially me x-x; Growing up does that to you. So just wanted to drop that in, you know, let y'all have something else to look forward to :P

Cat and Aya


	23. Chapter 21

**Aya: **Well, what do you know! Two years later and we _finally_ put the next chapter up... cough But this just proves that we haven't forgotten about it! Really! :) Every so often we come back to it, laugh, talk about that ending that we just can't type... I've been trying to reread it without cringing.

Anyways, for your enjoyment (at last) is Chapter 21... Yay!

- Aya, not the freshie from the story but a college graduate now!

**Disclaimer: **After four grueling years we still haven't acquired the rights Fushigi Yuugi. Well, at least we have our broke selves and Vereor to come home to at night :P

* * *

**CHAPTER 21**

The day after Aya told Tasuki about their forthcoming child, she set an appointment with the doctor. She also scheduled an ultrasound, seeing that she was already going into her second trimester.

She told Tasuki to dress nicely a few days later, pulling one of her recently purchased maternity shirts over her head. He turned to regard her curiously as she checked herself in the mirror.

"Ya goin' ta take me ta class today?" He had gotten lazy, even when he had the task of helping around the house while they were in class.

Aya shook her head slowly. "Not at all. We're both going to the doctor, Mr. Kou." She tilted her head at his startled look at his name. "They're going to take a look at our baby, and see if we're both healthy." She patted her stomach as she said it.

Tasuki got out of bed to change. "What kinda magic can they pull ta actually see the babe?"

"Oh, it's possible!" Aya grinned. "Just you wait and see." She pulled him out of their room after he had finished, finding Cat and Chichiri in the kitchen. "Ultrasound day! Wish me luck."

Cat beamed. "Have fun!" She turned to Chichiri. "I'm happy she finally decided to go... I was worried about her. She is pretty ignorant when it comes to this pregnancy thing.."

"I heard that." grumbled Aya as she opened the door and stepped out.

Cat waved to her. "I know!

* * *

The ride was long for Aya. She tried to explain to Tasuki what they were going to do, just in case he got a little nervous around the machines. The technology was still lost on him. As she checked in, she looked around at the other women in their various sizes of pregnancy. She slid into a seat close to Tasuki, suddenly overwhelmed with nervousness. The stares she was receiving from around the room didn't help either.

Tasuki frowned at the older women and then turned back to the Seiryuu emissary. "Be strong, Aya." He held her hand. "Ya can't get scared all of a sudden. Ya've faced worse than this, haven't ya?"

"Not sure if you can put this next to Vereor. It's on a different scale," she muttered to him softly. There were a few shared whispers among the other women in the room. She felt Tasuki turn to glare at them and she squeezed his hand in return.

The room grew less intimidating over time. Aya tried to read some magazines, handing off those she finished to Tasuki who enjoyed flipping through them. About an hour later and she was finally called inside.

"Finally." She breathed as she sat down on the examination table. The nurse had instructed her to change into the hospital gown, and she did. Tasuki sat in the chair offered, appearing more nervous than she could've imagined him.

It did not get better when the doctor came in and was introduced to Aya and her fiancée Tasuki Kou (seeing she kept calling him by his seishi name instead of Shun'u). Dr. Henderson, an old woman in her forties, asked for Tasuki to wait out in the waiting room until they were ready for the ultrasound.

The examination went by remarkably well. Aya was happy to hear that everything appeared normal for her three-month or so pregnancy. She was then directed to change again and drink a lot of water to prepare for the ultrasound.

Twenty minutes later, Tasuki was brought back while a slightly uncomfortable Aya lay down as the doctor prepared the machine.

The bandit gave the machine a wary look and then looked to the small girl with her belly exposed. "Ya sure this is safe?"

The doctor answered before Aya. "Of course it is. There is no threat to the mother or the child."

Tasuki eyed the gel smeared over Aya suspiciously. He held her hand while he watched the doctor.

"Look at the screen, Tasuki. We'll be able to see the baby there."

It took a bit to get something recognizable on the screen. Aya and Tasuki squinted at it while the doctor made some remarks.

"And here is your child," she pointed to one globular shape on the screen, outlining the head of the fetus.

Tasuki leaned forward. "How's that a babe? Jus' looks like a dark… mass."

Aya giggled and waved her hand at the doctor. "He's a bit blunt."

The doctor nodded and turned back to the screen, moving the picture a bit to focus more on the child. She pointed to another part of the screen. "And there's another."

Both parents blinked. "Another?" They said in unison.

The doctor chuckled. "And another! Miss, I believe you're having triplets. See here?" She identified each separate fetus as she moved the picture around Aya's belly.

"T-triplets?!" Aya nearly screeched. "Here I thought one little Tasuki was going to be trouble… you can't be serious."

The doctor shook her head. "Oh, I have done enough ultrasounds that I am quite sure. Though we cannot be positive until you are further along in your pregnancy. Thankfully, everything looks well for the three. I'm going to recommend some different vitamins and a diet for you and a follow-up visit soon."

Tasuki's face was glued to the screen. "Three babies," he mumbled. "Three of 'em."

Dr. Henderson let them gawk for awhile longer to let the shock go through them. Finding out there were triplets was normally a heavier burden. The father looked a bit graver with the news than the mother. Aya let the news sink in slowly. She was going to have three of them in one bout.

Half an hour later, Aya and Tasuki were heading back home.

"This world is really advanced in medicine, isn't it?" Tasuki asked as he stared out the window.

Aya glanced at him and nodded. "Yes, it is… Why?"

Tasuki's amber eyes turned seriously on her. "In Konan, having three babies is really dangerous on a mother. Not many survive, Aya."

Aya smiled at him and reached out to take his hand. "Don't worry. Everything will be fine."

* * *

One of the positive things about Aya having a bed warmer was that she slept all night without any disturbances. Sometimes she drooled… having been a light sleeper for so long, it was heaven. Of course, the fact that her bed warmer was Tasuki was just as great.

It was from a really deep dreamless sleep that she was slowly awakening from. Her mind was groggy, telling her to roll over in the bandit's arms and fall back asleep. She agreed wholeheartedly. She shifted under the covers, the cool sheets on her skin reminded her she was lacking clothes, but found no reason to worry about it for awhile. After all, her companion was in the same position.

Tasuki grumbled, having been disturbed, though he didn't complain as Aya snuggled into his chest. He just instinctively wrapped his arms around her as her head found a spot to rest under his chin.

They were both too groggy to realize the door was cautiously being opened.

They were both too groggy to give a proper reaction to the sudden loud shriek from an enraged Spanish mother.

Tasuki was definitely too groggy to deal with it except to curse Aya's mother and roll over.

Aya, however, jumped up at the sound of the shriek. Her eye's met her mother's and for a moment she hoped she didn't suspect anything too bad out of the situation. Then she realized the sheets did not follow her.

"Mom!" She shouted, dragging her bedsheets up to cover her, having pulled them from under Tasuki's grasp. "Get out of here!"

Her mother replied by opening the door wider. "What in God's name is going on here!?"

"Get that woman ta shut up, Aya," mumbled the seishi from under the sheets.

Aya felt a whole-body blush. "Just get out now, mom! Let me at least wake up!"

Her mother kept the door open, ready to answer to that when Tasuki raised himself on his elbows, bleary eyes trying to focus on the older woman. She grabbed the door handle, glaring intensely at the pair the before shutting the door with a thunderous bang.

It took only a few moments for Aya to leap out of the bed, searching for something to wear. Tasuki watched her the whole while, amused by this sudden new image of his woman, terrified beyond belief. Aya tripped over her feet, stumbled over her clothes, and tossed things out of place to find something clean.

"Take it easy… Can't be safe if ya fall hard. Are ya going to tell me who that was?"

Aya was having trouble slipping her legs through her jeans. "My mother. We're in trouble now… she's probably gonna call Cat's parents about this, too." A random loose shirt went over her head and she then tried her best to comb her hair with her fingers. "Get dressed into something decent! And be out quick." Leaving the naked seishi in her bed (she promised herself only life and death situations would draw her away from that) Aya opened the door a little and squeezed through the narrow opening.

Her mother was waiting for her at the dining room table. She sat crossed-legged and with her cell phone in hand. Cat decided it was a good opportunity right then to sneak out of her room, Chichiri no where to be seen. She was in a much better state than her friend, having been getting ready for school. There was a look of panic on her face, though.

"How long has this been going on? Aya, I disapprove of you hiding things behind my back, especially a relationship! Who is he!?" Aya's mother had no reason to hide her voice, suspecting her Spanish would not be understood by any other occupants. She cast her daughter's room a suspicious glare.

"You can't keep guarding me against everything since the incident. You were never this protective."

Cat approached slowly. "There's nothing to be worried about…"

"We were wearing nothing just now," Aya muttered to her friend in English.

Cat's face dropped. "Never mind about that," she whispered under her breath, and then looked back up at the older woman.

"Okay, mom… It's a long story, but we've been going out for awhile. Several months now."

Tasuki came out then, wearing a pair of khaki pants and a dress shirt over a black undershirt. Aya's mind drifted away from the situation as her head turned to him.

"It's good to finally meet the woman that Aya received her good looks from," Tasuki pulled out one of the chairs and sat down. "I'm Tasuki." He thought about holding out his hand but thought better of it, not used to the custom. Either way, the constant glare was discouraging any further conversation with the woman. His amber eyes looked over to Aya, who stood wringing her hands together.

Aya's mother chose to ignore him for the moment. She stood up and strode up to her cowering daughter. "So you got yourself a boyfriend when you came back. You've brought him here without telling me or your father or brother; you've slept with him…" Tasuki's lost expression made her guess on his language skills correct."We allowed you to live off alone because of our trust! But obviously that has no importance to you!"

Tasuki understood a voice being raised. Angry mothers generally had him running for the hills, especially if it was his own. But seeing that Aya was not looking thrilled at being shouted at he decided to try to cool the situation again. "Listen, Aya's not at fault. I needed a place to stay and we're together--"

Aya's mother turned on her heel, her outstretched hand slapping the seishi's cheek hard enough to jerk the tall man back.

"What the hell!?" Tasuki yelled immediately, his hand covering his face. He met the woman's glare with his own. "What was that for!? Your daughter is old enough to make her own decisions!"

"My daughter is irresponsible!" She replied, finally in a language he could understand. She turned to Cat who was silently standing away from the trio. "I wonder what your parents will think...'

Cat took in a breath, caught Aya's panicked glance, and then abruptly spoke out. "We were gone with them back in those months we were missing."

Aya's mother froze. She stared at the two girls, at Tasuki, and then back. "What? Them?" But something else appeared to catch her attention before they could continue with their story. Without warning, she grabbed the hem of Aya's shirt and yanked it up far enough for her to see the rounding belly.

Her mother, even for her age, moved fast. Aya paled, wide eyes staring at her mother's furious face. The older woman turned on her heels and grabbed the first thing she saw on the table, a thick textbook, and turned to beat Tasuki.

"You son of a bitch! Taking my daughter, sleeping with her and.. and--!!" Her shrieking alerted the other seishi, who could not remain in the room any longer.

The living room was a mess. Aya and Cat tossed themselves on the enraged mother to keep her from beating Tasuki. The bandit looked just as furious, ready to lash out with his tongue. Chichiri scurried out and took an opening to grab the woman's arms and hold her steady.

"Calm down, no da!" His voice cracked when he noticed Cat's expression.

It took a few more strings of curses and oaths to get Aya's mother to take a seat, Chichiri not far from restraining her again. She looked angrily at both men and then turned back to her daughter. "So you eloped."

Aya shook her head quickly. "No, we didn't. We really were taken away, just not by them…" she pointed to the seishi. "It's a long story--"

Her start was interrupted by the front door being unlocked. Cat gave a panicked cry as her mother and older brother tumbled into the scene. Tasuki gave a groan of protest, waiting for another outbreak.

"I can explain!" Cat shouted before they could utter a word.

Ines, Aya's mother, joined Cat's, Maria. Aaron fisted his hands, eyes boring into the men in the apartment as if to size them up. There were some quick words passed between the mothers.

"This can't be good," muttered Aya. She joined Tasuki for protection.

The accusations began. Cat's mother went off in her native tongue about irresponsibility and losing her trust.

Aaron narrowed his eyes at the strange men and the way the girls clung close to them. "You perverted bastards! Taking my little sister away from us and causing our families to worry. Taking advantage of her!" He was very near to leaping forward and beating Chichiri… except Cat was in the way.

"Listen to us!" Cat screamed, not able to take their shouting. Their family actually quieted down. "Chichiri and Tasuki took care of us all those months we were gone. Some other person took us away… kind of. And we got into a lot of problems, but they saved us and… and… "

"Well, we love them obviously." Aya placed a hand to her belly and the other was wrapped with Tasuki's own hand. "We still have a lot of things to do, but this is final. We're staying together."

Ines was about to explode again, Maria right beside her with her hand raised menacingly. They never had the chance to start up again.

Chichiri jerked his head up and pushed away from Cat. "I'll… I'll be right back, no da." He turned to give a stern stare to Cat and the others. "Stay here." Without waiting for an answer, he brought his hand to clutch at his prayer beads; fingers posed up as he focused his chi and then disappeared from sight.

"What the hell!?"

Aaron's outburst was the beginning of an outbreak. The two mothers jerked back, startled; Ines crossed herself several times and Maria looked faint. All eyes were on the second man, who might suddenly disappear on them. The older brother held onto his mother's shoulders.

"We can explain--" Aya began trying to calm them down.

"Where does he think he's going?" Cat snapped, completely dodging her mother's questioning face as she stormed towards the front door and tore it open. "Chichiri!" She screamed out, enraged suddenly.

Tasuki was quick to follow, annoyed by the theatrical display between the parents. Aya gave them all a last glance before holding out her hands. "We'll explain later. Stay here where it's safe." Not able to explain her chosen words, she ran out of the apartment after the other two.

Tasuki and Cat made it to the elevator before Aya, Cat did not wait. She stepped in, not waiting for her friend even as the other seishi stepped into the elevator with her. The ride down felt too long for her. She was ready to slice the machine to bits when the telling ding of the doors let her out.

The quiet day was interrupted by the young woman calling out the seishi's name. Tasuki helped on occasion, but he continued to look back to see if Aya's brown head would come into view. He was not sure if she had followed them as well.

"Chiri jus' disappears, Cat. Ya should be used ta that," he mumbled. Thankfully, he had his tessen at hand. Who knew when he'd need it against those angry mothers? He grabbed it as soon as the arguments began to get heated.

Cat spared him a glare as she continued down the street angrily. She felt her venom slowly start to dissipate with each step until she stood on the sidewalk, glancing around herself. She looked back at Tasuki's confused face. "What are you doing here?"

The bandit shrugged. "It was a chance ta leave those women back there. 'Nyways, Chiri said ta stay, so I wasn't gonna let you go by yourself."

"And Aya?"

Tasuki glanced behind him again. "She'll be fine back with her mother."

There was a long pause. Cat looked past Tasuki's shoulder and towards the direction they came from. "I'm sure she would have followed us instead."

"If she did, she'd be tellin' ya to go back an'… help her." Tasuki's last words were forced out. He glanced back as well, searching for the emissary. But there were just a few pedestrians.

Cat took one last breath and shouted, "Chichiri!"

The two of them stood there staring at the cars passing by, realizing no monk was going to show up.

"Face it, he left 'cause you and your family were suffocating him." A cold voice said from a bus stop bench a few feet behind them.

Cat and Tasuki turned around and stared at Aya, calmly sitting down and inspecting her nails.

"How'd you get here? We didn't see you pass by…" Cat said softly, ignoring her friend's words.

"He's just going to keep disappearing until one day he'll just walk on out of your life like it was nothing…" Aya stood up and wiped her pants clean, flattening her shirt while she was at it to stare down at her growing bulge there.

Cat bit her lip. "What are you talking about…"

"Aya?" Tasuki asked calmly, his hand loosely held the tessen as his amber eyes darted around.

"Chichiri," Aya said with an exasperated sigh. "It's only a matter of time before he gets depressed over his past again…"

Cat jerked back, startled by the words. Tasuki stepped forward, brows knitting together. "What th' hell has gotten into ya, Aya?!"

Aya was quick on her reply. Her transformation came on too fast for Tasuki or Cat to react, which made it more difficult to dodge.

Aya punched Tasuki, sending him flying into traffic. Tires burned the pavement as they braked and a loud crash resounded around them. Their surroundings came to a standstill as Aya slowly approached Cat with a devilish quirk to her lips.

Cat screamed as soon as she saw Tasuki's body in the air. Her wide dark eyes turned to her advancing friend. One thought ran through her mind as Aya turned to her. She twisted on her heel and ran down the sidewalk away from the mess and her friend.

Aya hesitated. She glanced at the disorientated Tasuki getting up from the road. He landed hard, but no one decided to crash into him. Instead, an oncoming car had swerved to avoid him and crashed into the car next to him. The passengers were coming out of their vehicles, a woman already on her cell while a large man tried to help Tasuki to his feet.

The chase was on. Aya turned away and ran after the Suzaku emissary before she could get out of sight.

Cat tore across one block and then crossed the street, the traffic avoiding her by mere inches as she headed to the familiar university surroundings. They had walked far enough to get near the campus, which made her run there even less. Not that she really understood what she was going to gain by hiding there.

Aya was not far behind her. Cat darted away from the parking lots and towards the lawn art. Aya raced her around to the other side.

"Aya! What's wrong with you!?" Cat cried as she dove towards a broader sculpture, trying to put some room between the two of them.

Aya cackled at this game. She came around one side and darted to the other to block Cat's escape. "What's wrong? Nothing at all! Stop being so childish Cat and face me."

Seeing that this cat and mouse game wasn't going anywhere, Aya pulled back her arm and slammed it straight through the sculpture. Debris flew out.

Cat threw up her arms out of instinct, forming a quick shield to block the worse of the assault. Just as she dropped it, ready to run, Aya rammed into her from across the ruined art.

They went down, the Suzaku emissary scrapping her arms and hitting her head on the sidewalk. It was then that they began to get the attention of the students still on campus. Some ran off as the sculpture rubble collided around them.

Cat kept her fingers under Aya's crushing hands on her throat, trying to gasp out more words.

"Why are you holding back, Cat? Nice Cat, always looking for the easiest way out… never wanting to hurt anyone…" She hissed lowly.

"REKKA SHIN'EN!"

The attack had Aya leap away from her friend as a trail of flame tore around the spot she was in. She was ducked down among the concrete like a wolf, yellowed eyes glaring in Tasuki's direction. He held his side with one arm while the other brandished the glowing tessen.

"I had no idea that you were this kind of person, Tasuki… To dare harm the woman you love and—and… I'm pregnant with your own children as well! What would happen to them." But Aya's grin did not support her hurting words.

Tasuki winced as he walked forward, but it didn't stop him from snarling at her. "There's been lots of people controlled during my time; hell, I've was one of 'em once! I know you couldn't give a shit about the health of Aya or our children, Vereor, but this is just fuckin' sick… Get the hell out of her mind!"

Cat was coughing from where she was thrown, but now she looked up at the two staring each other down. Her eyes focused on Tasuki, already wounded and trying to control his emotions.

Aya chuckled lowly. "You know… pregnant women's emotions are always in such a turmoil. It was good timing to pluck Aya away from the two of you today, seeing she's in such a state." From the corner of her eye, she saw Cat recovering. Before the other emissary could get up and Tasuki could react, Aya flared blue with the god's power. She struck Cat just as she got back to her feet, this time throwing her back a few yards and knocking her unconscious. Before she could dive in for a final attack, she was sent back by another burst of flame blocking her from the dark haired girl.

Tasuki made it to Cat's motionless body while keeping Aya back through a shield of flames. "Shit," he hissed, finding her out. He laid her down and left her, directing his attention towards the possessed one.

Aya came at him through the flames, transformed. Tasuki's only defense was to run. He pushed a few curious students out of the way as he ran away from the lawn, having Aya follow him away from Cat's body.

Aya was just as fast as Tasuki, and uninjured. She reached the bandit easily. She swiped out with her hand, aiming for his back.

Tasuki jerked to his right, making a sharp turn, which had Aya's claws catch his shoulder instead. He bit back the pain as he kept up the chase. It did not last long; Aya propelled herself towards a tree, claws scraping the bark as she scaled it and used the height to jump in front of Tasuki's path.

He stopped, tessen in front of him.

Aya barked a laugh at him. "Going to use that against me?" She paused a moment to lay a hand mockingly at her belly. Using that moment of weakness from Tasuki, she attacked. Her fist collided with his arm, audibly breaking the bone and causing him to drop his weapon. She grabbed him by the neck of his shirt and spun, dragging him around with her and tossing him several yards away into a pillar of the gazebo they had shared a moment with weeks ago.

The seishi landed with a grunt on the wooden floor inside. His good arm grabbed onto the broken wood, feeling the splinters dig into his skin. He grabbed a piece as a weapon, bringing it up in time to block Aya's next block.

Aya's claws broke through the wood easily. The next piece Tasuki held up was a bit tougher to get through with her leg. She winced at the bruise she'd feel later, enjoying the pained look that flickered across the bandit's face.

"Aya!" He tried next, just as he was kicked in the side and thrown through the railing. He clutched the grass as he skidded down towards the lake, trying to pull himself back up.

Aya followed right after, landing just a foot from Tasuki's body. She kicked him in the stomach, rolling him over, and then bringing her foot down several times onto his chest, drawing the air out of him.

Tasuki caught her foot with his good hand and as he pushed, he caused her to unbalance herself on the sloping ground. "Gain control, Aya!" Sirens began to melt into their surroundings, and his voice began to merge with others shouting.

Aya's arms flew out to gain balance. She pulled her leg away from the bandit's weak grasp, growling at him. A swift kick sent him barreling down the last few feet into the shallow water of the pond.

"Why are you still trying, Tasuki! You can't help yourself without harming me. And you can't harm me at all!" Aya punched him as his gasping face came out from the water.

His head hurt from colliding with the pond bottom. When he came back out, he cried Aya's name again through mouthfuls of water.

The Seiryuu emissary's cheeks stung. She bit down hard on the inside of her mouth, but her hands still clutched the seishi's neck, dragging him under the shallow water until his nose was submerged. She used her strength to hold his jerking body down, but the hold was slowly weakening.

'Aya! Aya! Ayaa!' kept repeating inside her mind. Inside her mind where she tried her hardest to release her hands, except her body and tongue did not respond to that side of her.

Before Tasuki's struggles ceased completely, Aya's arms were forced away. The bandit's face bobbed back up, gasping, his amber eyes looking up into Aya's tear-stained cheeks and bleeding lips before they rolled back into his head.

"Aya!" The voice this time hissed into her ear. "Don't let Vereor win!"

Aya turned her head, this time from her own free will as she stared at Chichiri's scarred face. He had some battle wounds as well to explain his prolonged absence. But she didn't take that into thought. She let her sobs go as she pulled from the monk's fierce grip, turning to Tasuki.

"I'm sorry… I'm sorry…" She pulled his head clear out of the water, checking his pulse while she was at it. "Oh god, what have I done… Chichiri! Help me!" She was crying as she tried to pull the unconscious form out of the water. The other seishi did not hesitate to help. Thankfully, an ambulance found itself parked beside the collapsed gazebo.

* * *

There you have it! More action! Wheeee! :D Sorry again, y'all. For our fans, we definitely have an ending! We've talked about it _so_ much that there's no way we can't end it! So don't worry about us suddenly dropping it. And with both of us having graduated and all, we gotta put this fanfic behind us now.

Stay tuned!


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